The Royal National Lifeboat Institution has awarded a bronze medal for bravery to Mr Daniel O'Dwyer (45), second coxswain of the Courtmacsherry lifeboat in Co Cork. Six other crew members have received framed letters of thanks for their role in rescuing three people from a yacht in storm force 10 winds last October.
The rescue took place when the yacht, Supertaff, had been battered by heavy seas 25 miles south-west of Kinsale Head and lost its mast. Two of the crew were injured, and water was seeping into the boat.
The members of Mr O'Dwyer's voluntary crew who received the letters are assistant mechanic Colin Bateman (35), Michael Cox (52), Patrick Lawton (39), Alan Locke (49), Brian O'Donovan (26) and Michael O'Donovan (23). Last year, Irish lifeboat crews responded to at least 600 calls for help, saved at least 145 people from death and assisted a further 528.