Several rescue agencies respond to ‘highly unusual incident’ off West Cork coast

Two surfers in difficulty and a life-raft were seen in the same area last night, sparking a multi-agency rescue. 

Courtmacsherry RNLI crew under Coxswain Mark Gannon after arriving back from the call. 

A multi-agency response took place off the West Cork coast on Sunday evening in what the RNLI have described as a “highly unusual incident”.

The Courtmacsherry RNLI All Weather Lifeboat was called out at 7.50pm on Sunday evening by the Valentia Coast Guard after two surfers appeared to be in difficulty off Dunworley Strand on the Seven Heads coastline.

In addition to this, a life-raft was spotted in the immediate area at the same time.

Lifeboat Frederick Storey Cockburn under Coxswain Mark Gannon with seven crew members arrived at the scene at 8.20pm in very rough conditions.

The Coast Guard Unit from the Seven Heads / Old Head of Kinsale was also despatched, along with the Coast Guard Rescue 115 Helicopter from Shannon, gardaí and the HSE Ambulance Service.

The two surfers managed to get ashore themselves after being caught in tough swells and surf off Cow Rock. They were uninjured and made their way home.

The rescue agencies then focused their efforts on the life-raft, and following a detailed shoreline search, it was spotted on a rocky cliff-face.

While nobody was found in the life-raft, the search continued until it was established that the life-raft was one that was lost from a yacht at sea a few days ago off the Cork coast.

Station Deputy Launch Authority Philip White and crewperson Conor Dullea who were at the shore search area at Dunworley with other Lifeboat Station officers. Courtmacsherry RNLI Lifeboat Station

The Courtmacsherry RNLI voluntary Lifeboat Operations Manager Brian O Dwyer said: “It was great to see the quick reaction of all our volunteers tonight, who dropped whatever they were at and rushed to the station in order to have the lifeboat underway in less than 10 minutes, to help others in distress.

“The persons on the shoreline deserve great praise for alerting the rescue agencies quickly, as two different incidents in the same location at the same time was highly unusual.” 

 The Courtmacsherry Lifeboat Crew included mechanic Dave Philips and crew members Ken Cashman, Peter Noonan, Ciaran Hurley, Dean Hennessy, Evin O Sullivan, Conor Tyndall and Conor Dullea.