Displaying items by tag: incidents

5th September 2011

Irish Coast Guard Reveals Spike in Incidents Involving Leisure Activities, Merchant Vessels

The Irish Coast Guard has released statistics revealing a busy summer period and a significant increase certain types of search and rescue incidents.

http://www.afloat.ie/resources/organisations/irish-coast-guard/

Most notable is the increase in incidents involving leisure activities such as surfing, diving, and canoeing.

http://www.afloat.ie/watersport/surfing/

http://afloat.ie/watersport/diving/

http://afloat.ie/watersport/canoeing/

There was also an increase in the number of merchant vessels requiring assistance, which was up approximately 50% on 2010 figures.

Irish Coast Guard director Chris Reynolds said: "We began our safety awareness campaign in May, which was aimed at holidaymakers and members of the public who were planning water sports, enjoying cliff walks or engaging in coastal activities throughout Ireland. We also targeted walkers and climbers.

"Despite the advice and information provided, we have seen a significant increase in requests for assistance for some incidents over this summer (particularly leisure-based water-activities) and a 20% increase in taskings of our helicopters and crews."

However, Reynolds added that while the total number of incidents has remained broadly the same as last year, there was a 75% increase in lives saved so far in 2011 "which demonstrates that the Coast Guard safety message is getting through".

The Irish Coast Guard has released statistics revealing a busy summer period and a significant increase certain types of search and rescue incidents.

Most notable is the increase in incidents involving leisure activities such as surfing, diving, and canoeing.

There was also an increase in the number of merchant vessels requiring assistance, which was up approximately 50% on 2010 figures.

Published in Coastguard

Tagged under

Sports Diving Injuries On The Rise

The Irish Underwater Council (ICU) says injuries in sports diving are increasing, the Irish Examiner reports.

http://www.afloat.ie/watersport/diving/

Some 12 of a total of 61 registered incidents last year caused injury to divers. Other incidents included near-misses between boats, divers going missing, air shortages and rapid ascent.

ICU national diving officer Martin Kiely said the figures did not necessarily show that more incidents were occurring, but rather that more were being reported.

The Irish Examiner has more on the story HERE.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/diving-injuries-on-the-increase-153990.html

The Irish Underwater Council (ICU) says injuries in sports diving are increasing, the Irish Examiner reports.

Some 12 of a total of 61 registered incidents last year caused injury to divers. Other incidents included near-misses between boats, divers going missing, air shortages and rapid ascent.

ICU national diving officer Martin Kiely said the figures did not necessarily show that more incidents were occurring, but rather that more were being reported.

The Irish Examiner has more on the story HERE.

Published in Diving

Tagged under

Forty Foot Swimming Spot on Dublin Bay

The 'Forty Foot' is a rocky outcrop located at the southern tip of Dublin Bay at Sandycove, County Dublin from which people have been swimming in the Irish Sea all year round for 300 years or more. It is popular because it is one of few spots between Dublin city and Greystones in County Wicklow that allows for swimming at all stages of the tide, subject to the sea state.

Forty Foot History

Traditionally, the bathing spot was exclusively a men's bathing spot and the gentlemen's swimming club was established to help conserve the area.

Owing to its relative isolation and gender-specific nature it became a popular spot for nudists, but in the 1970s, during the women's liberation movement, a group of female equal-rights activists plunged into the waters and now it is also open to everyone and it is in the control of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.

Many people believe that swimming in extremely cold water is healthy and good for the immune system.

Is it safe to swim at the Forty Foot?

The Forty-Foot is a great place to swim because there is always enough water to get a dip but like all sea swimming, there are always hazards you need to be aware of. For example, a lot of people like to dive into to the pool at the Forty-foot but there are submerged rocks that can be hazardous especially at low water. The Council have erected signs to warn people of the underwater dangers. Other hazards include slippy granite cut stone steps that can often be covered with seaweed and of course marine wildlife including jellyfish that make their presence felt in the summer months as do an inquisitive nearby Sandycove seal colony.