Mayday issued after fire breaks out on board boat off West Cork

Crew members sent out the mayday for help when a fire started in the boat’s engine room.

The Courtmacsherry lifeboat, under coxswain Ken Cashman, and a crew of five, proceeded immediately to the area of distress.

The lifeboat arrived at the scene around 5:40pm to give assistance as required.

The Courtmacsherry sea angling boat, under skipper Taylor Murphy, was also in the area and stood by to help. 

However, the crew on the boat were able to extinguish the fire and shut down the problematic engine.

They were able to continue their passage on their second engine and the lifeboat stood alongside and escorted it past the Old Head of Kinsale.

The pleasure boat arrived back into Kinsale at 7pm and docked at the Marina.

Commenting on the rescue, Courtmacsherry RNLI lifeboat voluntary operations manager, Brian O’Dwyer said: “It was great to be of assistance today on an incident that could have been very dangerous with a fire on-board.

“It was appropriate that the casualty issued a mayday call for help quickly, as minutes matter in an incident like this.”

This was the second callout in three days for the lifeboat in Courtmacsherry.