Heroic Lifeboat Crew Battle Monster Waves to Save Yacht in Storm
Coxswain Eamonn O’Rourke and his fearless Rosslare Harbour RNLI crew have been honoured with top awards after a daring rescue in near-apocalyptic conditions. Facing 10-metre towering seas and force 12 hurricane conditions, they pulled off a life-saving operation that tested their skill and guts.
Survival Against the Odds in Force 12 Storm
On 16 October 2017, the Irish Coast Guard received a Mayday from the skipper of the yacht Second 1—a 10-metre Dehler—caught in a vicious storm en route from the UK to Malahide. With deteriorating weather pushing them off course, the crew struggled to control their vessel, forced to abandon plans to berth in Rosslare and make a desperate dash for Arklow instead.
That’s when Rosslare Harbour RNLI lifeboat launched into the howling gale. For four grueling hours, Coxswain O’Rourke, Mechanic Michael Nicholas, and crew members Art Sheil, Micheal Ferguson, Keith Morris, Padraig Quirke, Stephen Breen, and Richard Parish battled to bring the yacht to safety.
Expert Seamanship in Life-or-Death Mission
With waves crashing 10 metres high, the team performed a risky manoeuvre—passing a drogue behind the stricken yacht to slow it down and establish a tow. This crucial tactic required supreme skill, patience, and nerves of steel.
“While no lifeboat crew does any rescue for reward, this is a great honour for our station,”
said Lifeboat Operations Manager David Maloney. “When a Mayday is broadcast, the crew go—no matter the conditions. On this callout, eighteen of our volunteers answered the pagers. Without their incredible effort, the outcome would have been very different.”
Second Award for Rosslare Lifeboat Crew
This Vellum recognition marks the RNLI’s second prestigious honour for Rosslare Harbour. They previously earned a Gallantry Award for rescuing nine lives from the cargo ship Lily B, preventing a major environmental disaster off Hook Head.
The heroic rescue in hurricane force seas underlines why Rosslare’s volunteer lifeboat crew are hailed as some of the bravest and most skilled in the business.
