Lifeboat

16th January 2012

Irish Couple Speak of 'Titanic' Experience on Capsized Cruise Liner

#NEWS UPDATE - The Irish couple rescued from the stricken cruise liner off the Italian coast have spoken of their joy to be back home safe and sound.

Séamus Moore (52) and his wife Carol (50) from Clonmel were greeted by their three children at Dublin Airport yesterday, just two days after the Costa Concordia struck a sandbank and capsized off Tuscany.

“It was a difficult experience but at the end of the day it worked out very well for most people," Carol told The Irish Times. "It’s really, really a relief to be home.”

Commenting on the events of Friday night, Séamus likened their experiences on the sinking cruise ship to the film Titanic.

“When we were sitting on the side of the ship I said to her ‘now we know what Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslett felt like’ and she said ‘well at least Kate lived’."

As the boat listed, it also struck Séamus that while "everything was crashing one way, then the next, the one thing I did notice is that the piano player kept playing."

The couple were removed from the ship by lifeboat in the early hours of Saturday and looked after by the staff at the Irish Embassy in Rome before their return.

They were among some 4,000 passengers on the cruise ship, most of whom were rescued within hours of the incident. Six people are confirmed dead following the disaster, with more than 60 injured and 16 people still missing.

The captain of the 114,500-tonne vessel was arrested on Saturday accused of manslaughter and of abandoning ship before all passengers and crew had been evaculated.

The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.

Published in News Update

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15th January 2012

Glandore Search Continues for Five Missing Crew

#GLANDORE SEARCH – The Naval Vessel LE Niamh has joined up to 18 other vessels including lifeboats from Baltimore and Courtmacsherry and a large fleet of up to 18 fishing vessels in a bid to locate five men missing from a trawler that ran aground off the Cork coast earlier this morning. The Naval Service have also sent a diving team, who were engaged in a search for a missing person in the River Corrib in Galway, to the scene.

As reported earlier today, the 40–foot fishing vessel the Tit Bonhomme sank in heavy seas close to Adam and Eve Island at the entrance to Union Hall harbour at around 6am.

One crewman, who is Egyptian, was rescued from the sea by a Coastguard helicopter.

His five crewmates, two from Ireland, three from Egypt, are still missing.

The Examiner has more here and images of wreckage from RTE news here

Published in Coastguard

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15th January 2012

Bundoran Lifeboat Launches for Surfer in First callout of 2012

#BUNDORAN RESCUE – On Saturday 14th January, following a distress call, Bundoran RNLI Lifeboat were tasked to assist a surfer in trouble at Tullan Strand, Bundoran.

The surfer got into difficulty around 4pm after his surf board snapped during a session on a busy afternoon at Bundoran's second beach. His friend immediately called the emergency services and Bundoran Lifeboat Crew were tasked to the scene. Launching within six minutes of the initial page, the crew were on scene within minutes by which time the surfer had made his way to shore safely. The lifeboat was then stood down.

Malin Head Coast Guard also tasked the Rescue 118 Helicopter from Sligo to the scene who arrived shortly afterwards. Volunteer crew members from Bundoran Lifeboat who made their way to Tullan Strand on land, spoke with the surfer to evaluate whether further medical attention was required.

Bundoran Lifeboat Training Coordinator Shane O'Neill who attended to the surfer said 'Thankfully, following his surfboard being snapped the surfer was able to make his way back to shore safely. However his friend was absolutely correct to call the emergency services as he believed he was in trouble. Bundoran Lifeboat is on call 24 hours a day seven days a week and are always ready to respond to an emergency'

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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8th January 2012

'Magic Lanterns' Blamed as Crosshaven Lifeboat Launches After Flare Sighting

#RNLI – Crosshaven RNLI lifeboat was tasked at 7.30pm on 6 January to a report of a red distress flare being reported by the control tower at Cork airport. A compass bearing was given which put the incident in the vicinity of the mouth of Cork harbour.

The Atlantic 75 class lifeboat 'Miss Betty" with Alan Venner in command along with fellow volunteers Ian Venner and Vince Fleming searched a large area in seas of 2 metres high between Ringabella and Roches Point. Crosshaven and Guileen Coast Guard units were also tasked to carry out shoreline searches from Roberts Cove in the West to Trabolgan in the East.

All commercial and fishing vessels in the locality were contacted and asked to assist with Radar sweeps of the area. After an intensive search lasting well over 2 hours the lifeboat returned to Station.

Commenting on the incident, Ray Heffernan, Volunteer lifeboat launching authority, believed the dreaded Magic Lanterns were once again to blame. He said " between the RNLI crews on the lifeboat and those manning the station, and the two Coast Guard units searching the shoreline, up to 60 volunteers have had their evening disrupted by the people who wantonly let off these lanterns with no regard for the consequences. Until we are absolutely satisfied that no persons are in danger , we have to keep the search up".

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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22nd December 2011

Duo Rescued from Sinking Fishing Boat in Galway

#RESCUE - BreakingNews.ie reports that two men have been rescued from a sinking fishing boat in Galway Bay this afternoon.

One of the two men on board the vessel alerted rescue services around 2pm after they began taking on water close to Salthill west of the city.

Two other fishing boats aided the duo before the Galway RNLI lifeboat crew boarded the vessel and used a pump to keep it afloat.

The stricken boat has since been towed back to the city docks.

Published in Rescue

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19th December 2011

Santa Claus Delayed by Hoax Lifeboat Call

#SANTA – The arrival of Santa Claus to Mullaghmore Pier by Bundoran RNLI Lifeboat on Sunday afternoon was delayed due to a hoax distress call received to Malin Head Coast Guard.

As the four Bundoran Lifeboat crew were about to embark on their trip to Mullaghmore, they were diverted and tasked to an alleged incident in Donegal Town where, following a phone call to the Coast Guard at Malin Head, it was believed that four people were in an upturned boat near the quay in the town.

Santa on board the lifeboat about to depart

Santa afloat in an RNLI RIB

Bundoran RNLI Lifeboat sped to the scene. The Rescue 118 Helicopter was also tasked from its base in Strandhill as were the Killybegs Coast Guard. As the rescue services reached the scene the call was declared a hoax and they were stood down. Speaking about the incident, Bundoran RNLI Lifeboat Deputy Launching Authority Patrick O'Doherty commented 'it's sad in this day that people still get a kick out of making hoax calls to the rescue services – not one but three services were tasked on this occasion making them all unavailable should a real call for a real emergency have come in. The Gardai have been informed about this and will no doubt make their own enquiries.'

Following the incident the Bundoran Lifeboat crew carried on to their original destination of Mullaghmore Pier where they joined in the fun with Santa and the boys and girls of the area. Santa was then zipped into his lifejacket, boarded the lifeboat and was waved off from the pier by the assembled crowd. Just before he got on the lifeboat Santa said 'I'd like to thank the hardworking volunteer crew of Bundoran RNLI Lifeboat. Their work to save lives at sea is to be applauded and I know that I will be in safe hands on Christmas Eve should there be an emergency with the sleigh as I fly over the area'.

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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15th December 2011

Epilepsy, Lack of Lifejacket Big Factors in Death of Dublin Boatman - MCIB

#MCIB - The death by drowning of a South Dublin boatman may have been avoided had he been wearing a lifejacket or buoyancy aid, according to investigators.

The report by the Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) into the death of Aidan Fennell off Dalkey Island on 12 October 2010 found that an epileptic episode could have caused him to fall overboard from his rowboat and become disorientated once in the water.

Fennell, 43, was considered a competent boatman and a strong swimmer used to cold water, though was prone to seizures where he could not control his muscles and lost sense with reality, on occasion becoming unconscious.

On the afternoon of 12 October last year Fennell had launched his boat from Coliemore Harbour in fair conditions, intending to ferry a German family to Dalkey Island. When they pulled out of the trip, Fennell decided to row to the island on his own, with no flotation devices on board.

He was last seen by friend Kevin O'Farrell at 2.50pm. Around half an hour later, O'Farrell became concerned as to Fennell's whereabouts when he had been out of sight for some time.

After notifying the Irish Coast Guard, the Dun Laoghaire lifeboat and coastguard helicopter Rescue 116 were dispatched to search the area. Fennell's boat was located before 4pm washed on the rocks at the southeast end of Dalkey Island, and his body was found in the water close by some 10 minutes later.

No injuries were found on Fennell's body, suggesting that he went into the water before his boat washed up on the rocks.

The report concluded that if he had fallen overboard in normal conditions "it is considered likely that he could have swum to his boat, or clung on to the oars.

"However, if he had suffered an epileptic episode... he would have had great difficulty in staying afloat, in particular without having the buoyancy assistance of a life jacket."

The full report is available to download as a PDF from the MCIB website HERE.

Published in MCIB

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2nd December 2011

Marine Notice on Changes to Lifeboat Release Mechanisms

#NEWS UPDATE - A recent Marine Notice from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) advises on the adoption of new international resolutions pertaining to SOLAS regulations and changes to the International Life-Saving Appliance (LSA) Code.

The changes are intended to establish new stricter safety standards for lifeboat release and retrieval systems, aimed at preventing accidents during lifeboat launching, and will require the assessment and possible replacement of a large number of lifeboat release hooks.

Both of these changes are expected to come into force from 1 January 2013 with a view to full compliance by July 2019.

The Maritime Safety Committee of the International Maritime Organisation has also approved new guidelines for the evaulation and replaceent of lifeboat release systems, in which the DTTAS will require fall preventer devises, or FPDs, to be fitted.

Complete details for shipowners, ship operations, shipmasters and seafarers are included in Marine Notice No 54 of 2011, a PDF of which is available to read and download HERE.

Published in News Update

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23rd November 2011

Castletownbere Lifeboat Rescues Motor Cruiser

#RESCUE – Castletownbere's All weather Lifeboat, the Severn Class Annette Hutton recently assisted an Aquador 32 motorboat with gearbox failure off Three Castle Head. There was a crew of 2 on board the cruiser. Footage (below) was taken from the lifeboat's PTZ camera and the crew's helmet camera.

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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16th November 2011

Dolphin Rescued in Co Wexford

#MARINE WILDLIFE - A stranded dolphin was rescued at Duncannon on Monday last week, the New Ross Standard reports.

http://www.afloat.ie/port-news/marine-wildlife/

http://afloat.ie/safety/rescue

http://www.newrossstandard.ie/news/lifeboat-saves-dolphin-2935153.html

After being spotted by a member of Fethard-on-Sea RNLI, the dolphin was aided by the lifeboat crew, with advice from the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group.

http://afloat.ie/resources/organisations/rnli-ireland/

http://afloat.ie/safety/lifeboats/

The juvenile dolphin, who appeared to show no distress from the incident, was taken out to see and released in deep water off Templetown strand.

A spokesperson for Fethard-on-Sea RNLI said the crew were "'especially pleased to have undertaken such a rescue mission with a successful outcome".

#MARINE WILDLIFE - A stranded dolphin was rescued at Duncannon on Monday last week, the New Ross Standard reports.

After being spotted by a member of Fethard-on-Sea RNLI, the dolphin was aided by the lifeboat crew, with advice from the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group.

The juvenile dolphin, who appeared to show no distress from the incident, was taken out to see and released in deep water off Templetown strand.

A spokesperson for Fethard-on-Sea RNLI said the crew were "'especially pleased to have undertaken such a rescue mission with a successful outcome".

Published in Marine Wildlife

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