Seven hours at sea: RNLI rescue crew of 14-metre yacht 29 miles off Cork coast

Midnight rescue in strong winds and high swell

17:28, 15 Jun 2026Updated 17:36, 15 Jun 2026

Put through its pace – lifeboat Frederick Storey Cockburn(Image: RNLI)

A journey from the UK to Kinsale could have ended in disaster for the crew of a 14-metre yacht over the weekend – but an RNLI team navigated through Force 5 winds to launch a rescue op that lasted the whole night.

Shortly after 10pm on Sunday, June 14, the Valentia Coast Guard ask the Ballycotton RNLI Lifeboat to race 29 miles out to sea, where the pleasure craft had encountered engine difficulties – and was now helpless in rough conditions. The stricken motorboat was carrying four crew members, who were on passage from Newlyn in the UK to Kinsale.

The station’s all-weather lifeboat, the Frederick Storey Cockburn, was launched immediately. As the seven-strong lifeboat team rushed to their destination, conditions worsened – with Southeast Force 5 winds and a two-metre swell, combined with poor visibility.

The lifeboat arrived on scene at 12.10am and made contact with the crew of the yacht. The RNLI reports that “all were in good health, however due to strong swells and poor conditions it was not possible to transfer the four crewmen onto the lifeboat safely.” The decision was made by Coxswain Eolan Walsh to instead establish a tow line – and by 12.35am the lifeboat was able to begin the long, slow journey back to Ballycotton.

Due to the poor conditions, the lifeboat returned to the harbour at 5.30am this morning – and once the motorboat was safely secured the lifeboat was washed down and refueled ready for the next emergency call.

Maíre Scanlon, volunteer Duty Launch Authority at Ballycotton RNLI said: “We are grateful to the number of crew that were available last night and their continued commitment to saving lives at sea. Fortunately for the crew of the motorboat, we were able to get them to safety, and all ended well.”

Coxswain Eolan Walsh was joined on the callout by volunteer crew members, Eolan Breathnach (Navigator) Adrian Erangey, Síle Scanlon, Áine Flynn, Ronan Lynch and Johannes Reiher.

On Saturday, the Crosshaven Lifeboat was launched as part of a rescue operation in Cobh, after a 999 call was made to report that a young boy was in difficulty off a deep water pier.

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