RNLI Award for Brendan Cottrell
On Saturday 27th January 2024, our Chief Master, Brendan Cottrell received a prestigious and well deserved award at the Baltimore RNLI Dinner Dance held in Caseys of Baltimore. Brendan shares a long Cottrell family tradition of service to Baltimore Lifeboat. He was delighted to follow in his late father’s foot’s steps who also received this prestigious award for his gallant efforts during the 1979 Fastnet Yacht race disaster.
Brendan was honored with his lifeboat colleagues Aidan Bush, Coxswain and Brian McSweeney. Also onboard on the night were Emma Lupton, Jim Griffiths, Eoin Ryan and Nigel Keohe.
A difficult and challenging rescue.
It started when the lifeboat was tasked to a capsized catamaran 70 miles offshore in July 2022. Initially, it was expected that the Coast Guard Helicopter could recover the survivor clinging for life to the upturned hull. But with near gale force 7 winds, a 4 to 5 meter swell and the vessel surrounded by wire and netting streaming into the sea, this proved impossible. So Baltimore Lifeboat to the rescue!
Deployment of rescue dinghy
Arriving shortly after 9pm Coxswain Aidan Bushe and second coxswain Brendan assessed the situation. Bravely considering the conditions, Brendan and Brian volunteered to maneuver the small rescue dinghy through the debris to the stricken catamaran. Watching and counting the waves and with split-second timing, they skillfully brought the survivor to safety.
Brought to Hospital
From the relative safety of the lifeboat deck, the survivor was airlifted and swiftly brought to hospital by the Rescue 117 Coastguard helicopter.
Citation
The citation reads “You are to be commended for your actions under challenging circumstances. Were it not for your seamanship and courage in completing the rescue, the life of the casualty would have been in grave danger”
See for yourself
But of course, you can see the rescue taken from the helicopter yourself on YouTube click here Baltimore Lifeboat July 2022
Go raibh maith agaibh
To all our heroic lifeboat men and women. Let us honor and thank them all and remember to be generous in supporting the RNLI.
