Following four incidents in four days over the bank holiday weekend the Arranmore RNLI volunteer crew responded to a call in the early hours yesterday morning.
They responded to a call for assistance from Malin Head Coast Guard at 1:42am to Lahan Island in Cloughglas in tricky weather conditions of heavy rain and winds reaching 55 knots.
The call came after six people got into difficulty while paddleboarding. As the wind strengthened, the group made their way onto rocks near to wait for low tide before continuing. However, as weather conditions deteriorated, they contacted Malin Head Coast Guard for assistance.
The Arranmore RNLI all-weather lifeboat launched at 2:03am with seven volunteer crew members on board and made its way to Cloughglas. The six casualties were located with the assistance of the Bunbeg Coast Guard boat.
Crew members Evan O’Donnell and Joe Doherty launched the Y-boat from the stern of the lifeboat to reach the stranded group. At times, they had to drag the boat across shallow sandbanks through chest-deep water. While the all-weather lifeboat remained on standby, flares were used to illuminate the area, with the Bunbeg Coast Guard also providing light using a drone.
All six casualties were brought safely aboard the Y-boat and taken to a nearby house, where they were assessed and treated by Bunbeg Coast Guard personnel and ambulance crews.
