Trawlers aided TWO SPANISH trawlers in difficulties two miles north of Skelligs rocks—one had a rope fouling her propeller and the other had engine trouble—on November 9, 1972, led to the Valentia, Co. Kerry, lifeboat being launched.

The maroons were fired by the shore attendant at 8.55 a.m. and the Rowland Watts, a 52-foot Barnett lifeboat, left her moorings at 9.15 a.m. The wind was south west force 7 with frequent gusts up to force 9.

After Cromwell Point and the shelter afforded by the harbour were cleared, course was set for the trawlers. The sea was very rough and although on the beam of the lifeboat, the boat received a severe pounding, being constantly enveloped in sea and spray. At one stage a large sea striking the front of the wheelhouse forced the rubbers from the outside of the Kent clear-view screen out of their mountings and into the wheelhouse.

Repairs were carried out by the motor mechanic immediately Coxswain Dermot Walsh made the best progress that he could in the prevailing conditions but it proved necessary to reduce speed to prevent excessive punishment to the lifeboat.

At 10.15 a.m. the coxswain estimated that the trawlers were about three miles ahead, but as visibility was still very poor there was some doubt whether or not he would be able to find the trawlers.

A request was therefore passed to the Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) at Shannon via Valentia radio asking for the assistance of an aircraft to help to find the trawlers.

As a result of this request a helicopter from the Irish Army Corps was despatched from Dublin, and shortly afterwards an RAF Nimrod from Cornwall took off bound for the area.

The lifeboat discovered that the two trawlers were lying about half mile apart.

At this stage both had warps and other gear and nets streamed over the side to reduce their drift to leeward and also to prevent them rolling too heavily.

One trawler, the Monte Izankun, had a rope wrapped irretrievably around its single propeller and the second trawler, the Costa da Isolda, had engine trouble.

Very shortly after the arrival of the lifeboat the Costa da Isolda rectified the fault in her engine and left the scene for Valentia harbour. Shortly after 12.30p.m.

a third Spanish trawler, the Mar Muinos, arrived and immediately took the Monte Izankun in tow. While this operation was going on the lifeboat continued to stand by.

At 4 p.m. the skipper of the Monte Izankun again contacted the lifeboat and asked if the trawlers could be met about one mile north west of Cromwell's Point. The skipper reported that hissteering gear was jammed to port, and he wanted the lifeboat to take an additional tow line on the trawler's starboard bow to hold the trawler on course asshe passed through the relatively narrow entrance.

Coxswain Walsh agreed to this and by 4.30 p.m. a tow rope had been secured from the starboard bow of the Monte Izankun to the port bow of the lifeboat. The lifeboat took up station about 100 yards on the beam of the trawler's bow acting as a 'beam tug'. The trawler Mar Muinos in the meantime continued to tow the Monte Izankun from ahead.

The lifeboat was placed back on service again at 6 p.m.

A letter of appreciation signed by the Director and Secretary, Captain Nigel Dixon, RN, was sent to Coxswain Walsh and his crew..