The Irish Coast Guard assisted the 4,000-tonne Lily B as it lost power in heavy seas and came within half a nautical mile of shore.

The vessel with nine crew on board was carrying coal and a distress call was received at 3pm local time. Lifeguard crews responded and the vessel was towed to safe haven in Waterford Habour.

RNLI: The combined might of three lifeboats was required yesterday to save a stricken 4,000-tonne ship in huge seas off the Irish coast. An amazing job by the volunteers of @DunmoreEastRNLI, @KilmoreQuayRNLI & @RosslareRNLI, who successfully battled for 12 hours to save the vessel.

Twitter: On the 20 October 2020 the Irish Coast Guard Coordinated an incident involving a cargo vessel 2 NM South of Hook Head, Fethard Coast Guard TeamThree RNLI Lifeboats, and a Coast Guard Helicopter were tasked to assist. The vessel was towed to a safe anchorage by a tug.

In a statement from the Irish Coastguard:

The Coast Guard is coordinating assistance being provided to a cargo vessel that has lost power off the Waterford Harbour. The ship which is carrying a cargo of coal reported to MRCC Dublin earlier this afternoon that it had lost power. Lifeboats from Dunmore East, Kilmore Quay and Rosslare as well as the Waterford based Coast Guard Helicopter and Fethard Coast Guard unit were immediately tasked. A Waterford based tug is expected on scene shortly after 6 pm. The Coast Guard have described the situation as stable and the vessel with Lifeboat assistance is drifting in an Easterly direction pending arrival of the Tug.