Baltimore RNLI were called out to assist a lone sailor whose yacht had capsized 70 miles off the coast of Baltimore, West Cork, Tuesday evening.
Afloat, Ireland’s sailing, boating & maritime magazine, reported that the volunteer lifeboat crew launched their all-weather lifeboat following a request from the Irish Coast Guard to go to the assistance of a lone sailor who had been taking part in a race when his yacht capsized, approximately 70 miles off the coast of Baltimore.
Conditions at sea during the rescue were challenging with a north to north westerly force 6-7 wind and a 3 to 4m sea swell.
The Baltimore all-weather lifeboat crew arrived at the capsized catamaran where the sailor was on the upturned hull of the catamaran in which he had been racing in single-handedly.
The lone sailor involved was French yachtsman Loic Escoffier competing in the Drheam Cup in his catamaran Lodigroup.
The 41-year-old from Saint-Malo had left Cherbourg and was 60 miles south of Fastnet when the yacht capsized with him inside.
The Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 117 was also on scene.
A small inflatable Y-Boat from the all-weather lifeboat with two RNLI crew members on board.
They were able to manoeuvre the Y-Boat alongside to rescue Escoffier from the upturned hull.
RNLI crew members assisted the sailor up on to the lifeboat from the Y-Boat and Rescue 117 winched the casualty from the lifeboat into the helicopter and returned to base.
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