D class inflatable tows large yacht to safety A service to a yacht by Lough Swilly's D class inshore lifeboat last July has earned the station a letter of congratulation from the RNLI's chief of operations, Commodore George Cooper. During the service the 16ft inflatable managed to tow the heavy 31ft yacht in winds up to Force 6 until assistance arrived.

Reef The first indication of the service came at 2130 on 22 July in a phone call from the Garda, who had heard from a man at Rockstown that a yacht was at anchor in a dangerous position - over a reef which would dry out at low water.

The man was unable to shout to the yacht's crew and Malin Head Radio could not raise them on VHP, so at 2151 the ILB was launched.

While the lifeboat was on the half-hour passage to the yacht Malin Head Radio broadcast a Pan Pan message seeking a vessel capable of towing the yacht clear.

The ILB arrived at the casualty to discover that both her engine and VHP had broken down and, as the tide was now falling fast the helmsman of the inflatable decided to try to tow her clear himself.

There was still no response to the Pan Pan broadcast and the lifeboat was making slow progress with the 31ft yacht in tow. All of the fishing boats from the nearby harbour were at sea but as they were expected to return shortly the honorary secretary suggested to Malin Head Radio that they try a Pan Pan on the shipto- ship channel which the fleet used.

Freshened Within a few minutes of the broadcast at 2250 the fishing vessel Dunaff Girl responded and gave an ETA of 0030.

A white paraflare was fired at 2305 so that they could see their way out of the bay, but the wind had freshened to around Force 4 with a rough swell running and the lifeboat crew were concerned about their tow.

However at 2340 another fishing vessel, North Star, called on the VHF saying that she was inside Lough Swilly and thather ETA at the scene was only 15 minutes away, and 14 minutes later she was alongside the casualty enabling the inflatable to let go her tow line. By 0006 both vessels were underway.

The larger fishing vessel was able to make much better progress with the disabled yacht and by 0150 she had been put on a spare mooring in the safety of nearby Portsalon, having been escorted by the ILB.

North Star and the lifeboat then returned to their base, the lifeboat arriving at 0225 after nearly 4 hours at sea - much of it in darkness..