Major air and sea rescue plucks thirty young volunteers from tall ship after it runs aground in rough weather
- The Astrid hit rocks in poor conditions with winds of force 5/6
- Irish Coast Guard describe operation as a major air and sea rescue
Thirty people were plucked from a tall ship in a major rescue operation after it aground in rough weather off the south coast of Ireland.
The vessel hit rocks off the Sovereign islands near Kinsale, Co Cork, this morning as it attempted to navigate the western entrance to the harbour near the tourist town.
Conditions at sea were said to be poor with winds of force 5/6.
Shipwrecked: Young sailors aboard the Astrid wait to be rescued after the tall ship ran aground in rough weather in the Celtic Sea, hitting rocks off the Sovereign islands near the entrance to Kinsale harbour, Co Cork
Not going down with the ship... Astrid skipper Pieter de Kam waits to be rescued with a Coastguard officer, as the high winds slam the surf onto rocks behind. Conditions at sea were said to be poor with winds of force 5/6
Captain de Kam readies himself to climb into a rescue vessel: Four RNLI lifeboats, including crews from Kinsale, Ballycotton and Courtmacsherry along the Cork coast, were sent to the scene, said the Coast Guard
Heavy seas: The Courtmacsherry and Kinsale lifeboats circle the wrecked Astrid as they are buffeted by the heavy seas. Irish Coast Guard rescue helicopters based at Shannon and Waterford were also scrambled
The lifeboat service described it as a major sea and air rescue.
Four RNLI lifeboats, including crews from Kinsale, Ballycotton and Courtmacsherry along the Cork coast, were sent to the scene, said a spokesman for the Irish Coast Guard.
The two Irish Coast Guard rescue helicopters based at Shannon and Waterford were also scrambled.
The boat ran aground at midday. Just before 1pm RNLI crews reported that 18 crew members had been rescued and were on board a lifeboat on their way to shore.
The other 12 crew were understood to have ferried to a second tall ship.
Relief: A rescued sailor pokes his head from a lifeboat as he's towed to safety. The lifeboat service described the operation this afternoon as a major sea and air rescue. Thirty people were saved from the wreck
Sailors are taken from the lifeboat as the Astrid sinks. The wrecked ship was leaving Oysterhaven Bay on its way to Kinsale, about five miles away, when it apparently suffered an engine failure and was swept to the rocks
The Astrid sinks: It ran aground at midday. Just before 1pm RNLI crews reported 18 crew members had been rescued and were on board a lifeboat on their way to shore. The other 12 were ferried to a second tall ship
Smashed: An RNLI handout photo shows the Astrid as it's pulled beneath the waves off the Sovereign Islands
The wrecked ship, the Astrid, was leaving Oysterhaven Bay on its way to Kinsale, about five miles away. A spokesman for the event the boat was taking part in said it had suffered engine failure.
'At 11.50pm the captain of the tall ship Astrid signalled that he had a problem. We stood by, and other boats also stood by. We simply did not have the power to pull the Astrid off the rocks,' she said.
'It was engine failure.'
The Astrid, a Dutch vessel, had been among boats taking part in The Gathering Cruise which was due to arrive in Kinsale today and continue to the Glandore Classic Boat regatta on Friday.
It is one of hundreds of events being held in Ireland in a mass tourism drive to get people with Irish links to visit the country.
Dramatic experience: Amy Shanahan from Balbriggan with parents Philip and Caroline on the pier in Kinsale after being rescued. The Astrid had been among boats taking part in a cruise around Ireland's south coast
Once proud ship: A 2010 file photo of the Astrid. It was part of The Gathering Cruise, one of hundreds of events being held in Ireland in a mass tourism drive to get people with Irish links to visit the country
Other tall ships taking part in the event were Celtic Mist from the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, Spirit of Oysterhaven, and boats from Hull, Tollesbury, Shoreham on Sea, Hamble, Portsmouth, Poole, Salcombe in the UK.
Vincent O'Donovan, of the Courtmacsherry RNLI lifeboat, said the Astrid was sinking.
'The rescued crew are certainly all shocked,' he told RTE Radio.
'It's been a dramatic experience since 12 noon when they went aground and the boat started to sink.'
This map shows the ******** of the Sovereign Islands, where the Astrid ran aground on rocks this afternoon
07-24-2013, 09:12 PM
Ireland: a successful attempt to save the sinking ship - Photos
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