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Mayday

All aboard saved after Tall Ship Astrid runs aground off Kinsale

All of the 30 crew members have been rescued, but much of the ship is underwater.

http://youtu.be/zuLc3bi-AvQ

(uptherockies/YouTube)

VIDEO HAS EMERGED of the Tall Ship Astrid, which went aground off Kinsale early this afternoon.

Photos taken at the site show the scale of the damage done to the ship.

Updated 2.59pm

This image was taken by TheJournal.ie reader Kevin Kiely – the lifeboats released as the boat ran aground are visible behind the ship.

The moment of rescue – also captured by Kevin Kiely – as a coastguard helicopter hovers overhead.

The Tall Ship Astrid pictured by Oceanaddicts.ie

The Dutch ship sent out a mayday distress signal earlier today, which was picked up by the Valentia Coast Guard.

The training ship had 30 people aboard and the Coast Guard sent two all-weather lifeboats, helicopters, marine ambulance response team and others to the scene.

The 30 people have now been removed from the ship.

Amy Shanahan from Balbriggan with her parents Philip and Caroline on the pier in Kinsale after she was rescued from the tall ship Astrid which had run aground on the Sovereign Islands off Kinsale. All 30 crew were safely brought ashore. Picture: John Allen

A spokesperson for the RNLI told TheJournal.ie that 18 people were taken from the boat on the Courtmacsherry lifeboat, while another 12 were taken off and onto a local vessel, the Spirit of Oysterhaven. “They are all on land and a little shaken up,” said the spokesperson.

They are “well shocked” and it was a traumatic experience, but there are no serious injuries, said Vincent O’Donovan of the RNLI to the News At One on RTÉ Radio 1.

It is not known yet what led to the ship running aground.

Ballycotton RNLI said that it has been tasked to launch to the sailing vessel and that it had run aground on the Sovereign Islands off Kinsale.

There is believed to have been a 4-metre swell in the area, and the weather was south-westerly, said the Coast Guard.

The Tall Ship Astrid prior to the accident. Pic: @UrbsIntacta

First published at 1.15pm

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