Mystery surrounds a yacht that drifted ashore on Kilcoole Beach in Co Wicklow with no one on board.
The 6.4m Horizon yacht named ‘Katie' was initially spotted in Bray on Saturday, September 21 but by Monday had drifted further down the coast to Kilcoole Beach, just south of Greystones.
The Rhyl Coastguard Rescue Team in Wales cordoned off the yacht with blue tape and contacted the owners, who arranged for the vessel to be recovered.
However, before they could reach the yacht to reclaim it, it drifted out to sea and landed on Irish shores with the engine and rudders missing.
Speaking RTÉ about the maritime mystery, Captain and member of Greystones Sailing Club Oscar Rossi Schenone said he wasn’t surprised to hear that a boat from Wales had made it to the Wicklow shore.
6.4m Horizon yacht named ‘Katie’ washed up on Kilcoole beach in Wicklow @rtenews https://t.co/cMSvo0bMvd pic.twitter.com/cZPid8j7fM
— Natasha Murtagh (@natashamurtagh) September 26, 2024
He explained that boats drifting away from a shore or harbor happens quite often. He said a boat previously capsized in Dún Laoighaire and drifted towards a sandbank quicker than those on board could get it back up.
"When you have a boat, one of the most important things is to have good mooring and taking into consideration what kind of winds you are expecting, and taking note of the change in weather," he said.
He warned that if you fail to secure your boat in Greystones Marina or Bray Harbour correctly, your vessel will not be safe in the water in October.
Mr. Schenone added that despite sailing his whole life, he was unfamiliar with North Wales harbors, and the weather had made things a lot more complicated.
It is understood that Gardaí in Greystones will visit the vessel today and work with the Coast Guard to have the boat removed before the stormy weather hits this weekend.
*This article was originally published on Extra.ie.
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