merrion street

Following the dramatic rescue of 21 sailors from the over turned maxi racing yacht ‘Rambler 100’ off the South West Coast, Minister Simon Coveney has commended the successful efforts of our rescue services in bringing everybody safely ashore.

"This was a dramatic sea rescue that was co-ordinated with speed and professionalism and everybody involved should be commended for their efforts. This is a reminder of just how important it is for Ireland to have a well resourced sea rescue infrastructure."

Minister Coveney went on to say "The Fastnet race is one of the most high-profile offshore yacht races in the world and Rambler 100 is one of the best known racing yachts on the planet. This incident will be reported in the international press and we can be proud of the way in which Irish emergency services contributed to preventing any loss of life."

"We in Cork are familiar with Rambler 100 as she has competed in Cork Week a number of years ago. Most importantly, my response is one of relief that there was no loss of life, which considering the size and speed of the yacht and the conditions at the time, is a minor miracle. I hope everyone involved will make a full recovery."