Five crew members of an Irish trawler were last night safe and well after their boat was dramatically saved from sinking when an Irish Marine Emergency Services helicopter succeeded in landing a pump to empty out the stricken vessel. The Achilles from Castletownbere was fishing some 40 miles south of the Galley Head at about 2.15 p.m. when a faulty valve began allowing water to flood the engine room. The skipper, Philip O'Driscoll, sent out a May Day signal, saying the boat was sinking fast. IMES's Valentia Radio contacted the service's rescue Sikorski helicopter at Shannon and alerted the Courtmacsherry lifeboat. The two linked up 10 miles off shore, where the lifeboat transferred a crewman and pump to the helicopter.
The helicopter then proceeded to the Achilles and winched the lifeboat man and the pump on board the trawler. The 45-foot Achilles was yesterday evening returning to port accompanied by the Courtmacsherry lifeboat with all five crew reportedly safe.
Earlier yesterday, the IMES Sikorski was involved in the rescue of an injured Spanish fisherman 150 miles south west of the Mizen Head. The helicopter airlifted Spaniard Jose Ramon Cores (37) off the Purita at around 6.30 a.m. The injured man was brought to Tralee General Hospital, where his condition was described as "comfortable".