New all weather Lifeboat which is designed to deal with marine emergencies up to 50 miles out from the coast is launched in Clifden.

A new all weather Lifeboat which is designed to deal with marine emergencies up to 50 miles out from the coast has been launched in Clifden.

The new Shannon Class Lifeboat can travel at a speed of close to 40 miles per hour and is designed to right itself in the event of capsizing.

The Lifeboat cost over €2m euro and it was financed by a donation to the RNLI by an English man, Christopher Harris.

Phillippa Harris, a daughter of the late Mr Harris handed the craft over to the RNLI in Clifden today.

John Brittan, Lifeboat Operations Manager in Clifden talked to our reporter, Mairtín O Catháin about the significance of the new high-powered lifeboat on the west coast.

Anna Classon heads the Operations of the RNLI in Ireland. In Clifden today, Anna Classon outlined how the new Lifeboat- the St Christopher – fitted into the lifeboat network on the Atlantic coastline.