Kilkeel RNLI go to the aid of a fiercely burning 40 ft yacht Kilkeel RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew early this morning, 29 June, went to the aid of a reported fiercely burning 40ft two-masted glass fibre yacht anchored southsouth east of Rostrevor pier, Carlingford Lough. The owner had been contacted and confirmed there were two gas cylinders aboard the yacht but no persons. The lifeboat Frank William Walton with helm G Smyth and crew members S McCullough, Wm. Charleton and P Annett was launched at 2.20am and quickly reached the stricken yacht which very quickly was ablaze from bow to stern. There was a slight sea and good visibility with light and variable northerly winds. One of the propane gas cylinders had already exploded so the lifeboat with, at this stage, four fire-fighters from Warrenpoint and a mobile fire fighting pump aboard, stood off at a safe distance. When the fire had somewhat subsided the lifeboat returned to the yacht and the flames were extinguished. The lifeboat left the firefighters and the pump ashore at Warrenpoint and returned safely to the boathouse in Kilkeel at 6.45am. Helm Gerry Smyth said that ‘It was vital that the lifeboat crew, the firefighters and the lifeboat were kept out of danger whilst there was the possibility of the gas cylinders exploding. The yacht was extensively damaged and still afloat when we left the scene but importantly no lives were lost.’
Posted on: Fri, 18 Jul 2014 19:49:25 +0000
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