Courtmacsherry RNLI rescue windsurfer stranded 1km of West Cork coast

The RNLI Lifeboat arriving back to Courtmacsherry Pontoon this evening. Picture: RNLI

An RNLI Lifeboat has rescued a windsurfer one kilometre off the Old Head of Kinsale in West Cork.

At around 4.10pm this afternoon, the Courtmacsherry All-Weather Trent Class RNLI Lifeboat was called out to assist a windsurfer who had got into difficulty one kilometre off-shore from Garrylucas strand.

The RNLI were on the water en route to the man with minutes of receiving the alert.

The crew said they navigated the rough conditions and successfully reached the man within 15 minutes. 

He was promptly helped out of the water and into the Lifeboat where he was assessed by the crew. 

After giving the man a warm protective blanket, the crew brought the man back to Courtmacsherry Pontoon, where he was then transferred to the Station House for further observation.

The Courtmacsherry RNLI Lifeboat crew. Picture: RNLI

The man told the crew he was happy to be back on dry land, having spent 45 or so minutes adrift in the rough, cold seas.

The man’s mother collected the man from the RNLI station House, and both praised the RNLI for their efforts.

Commenting on the callout, the Courtmacsherry RNLI Voluntary Lifeboat Operations Manager Brian O Dwyer thanked all the crewmembers for the quick response to the Station’s second callout in 24 hours and carrying out the Rescue so quickly in difficult conditions. 

The Courtmacsherry Lifeboat Crew involved in today’s callout were Coxswain Sean O Farrell, Mechanic Tadgh McCarthy and crew Paul McCarthy, Denis Murphy and Jim O Donnell.     

The Lifeboat returned to its base in Courtmacsherry just after 5.30 pm and has refuelled and restocked, in readiness of whenever the next call to action may occur.