#RNLI - Red Bay RNLI’s lifeboat was launched yesterday afternoon (Sunday 5 February) to locate and rescue three people on board a 13ft boat off Glenarm Bay.

The lifeboat crew located the vessel, which had suffered engine failure, three miles east of Glenarm Marina.

Two people on board the boat were transferred to the lifeboat before the vessel was taken in tow to Glenarm.

The three men were on a fishing trip and contacted Belfast Coastguard by mobile phone to raise the alarm. Sea conditions were calm with freezing temperatures.

Around the same time, the volunteer lifeboat crew at Crosshaven RNLI in Cork Harbour launched to assist a grounded yacht.

On arrival, the lifeboat transferred a crew member to the yacht and made good a towline. Before the tow commenced the yacht's integrity was checked.

After successfully towing the vessel into deep water, another check for leaks was made before the yacht and its crew were happy to make their own way to East Ferry.

#RNLI - Youghal RNLI came to the assistance of two people last weekend after their fishing vessel got into difficulty off the Cork coast.

The volunteer crew was requested to launch their inshore lifeboat last Saturday (27 January) at 3.55pm to reports of a vessel in need of assistance.

The lifeboat proceeded to the location of the 21ft fishing boat a half-mile east of Black Ball Buoy.

The weather on the day was fine with a slight south westerly breeze.

The lifeboat, helmed by Patsy O’Mahony and with crew members Liam Keogh, Jason Clossey and Jack Nolan onboard, returned the boat under tow safely to his moorings in Youghal Harbour.

Speaking following the callout, Youghal RNLI deputy launching authority Brendan O'Driscoll said: “We were happy to come to the assistance of the fishing crew and bring them to safety.

“We would also like to congratulate Jack Nolan on a job well done on his first callout since he moved from shore crew to full crew in January.”

#RNLI - Larne RNLI launched their all-weather lifeboat Dr John McSparron and inshore lifeboat Terry on Sunday (29 January) to take part in the exercise to simulate recovery of a casualty to a helicopter in an emergency situation.

The joint exercise with the Prestwick Coastguard helicopter Rescue 999 took place one mile north of Larne in Co Antrim.

The lifeboats practiced manoeuvres at speed with the helicopter. A high-line was passed to the all-weather lifeboat, where the winchman landed. Several RNLI crew members were then winched into the helicopter and back onto the deck of the lifeboat.

The RNLI regularly carries out exercises with other rescue agencies, training that ensures rescue crews are able to work together effectively in an emergency situation, including medical evacuation of a casualty to a helicopter.

Larne RNLI second coxswain Norman Surplus said: “We had a very valuable training session with both our lifeboats working under the helicopter in turn. During the joint RNLI–Coastguard exercise all our volunteer crew members reinforced their overall skills knowledge and their hands-on experience of specialised Helicopter operations.

“Close and effective collaboration during such RNLI–Coastguard joint training allows the combined emergency services to be much better prepared to handle real search and rescue situations as and when they arise.”

Larne RNLI extended their thanks to Prestwick Coastguard in Western Scotland for the opportunity to carry out the joint exercise.

#RNLI - Achill RNLI was requested late on Thursday night (5 January) to help locate and rescue two adult male hill walkers who were in distress in the vicinity of Mweelrea mountain in Killary Fjord, Connemara.

The Irish Coast Guard helicopter was unable to operate because of low visibility, so in a joint operation, Achill RNLI, Mayo Mountain Rescue and Westport Coast Guard combined forces to effect a very challenging rescue.

Achill RNLI’s lifeboat crew were able to locate the hill walkers on the steep cliff face near Rossroe Harbour and then deployed their XP boat, a small dinghy, to transfer seven members of the Mayo Mountain Rescue Team to the cliff face in very difficult conditions.

The mountain rescue team was then able to reach the two people and gradually bring them down the 200ft or so of the cliff face, where Achill RNLI’s crew could ferry them to the waiting lifeboat, The Sam and Ada Moody.

In a lengthy operation under low cloud, fog, rain and gusty winds the Achill RNLI crew went between the water and cliff ferrying the mountain rescue team and the hill walkers back to the lifeboat where the casualties were given first aid treatment before transfer to Rossroe Pier.

There they were handed over to the care of Westport Coast Guard, after suffering from hypothermia and exhaustion.

Achill RNLI coxswain Dave Curtis described the condition of the rescued men as “cold, wet and miserable” and the weather conditions as extremely difficult.

Speaking following the callout, Achill RNLI mechanic Stephen McNulty said: “This was a great example of teamwork between the different rescue agencies.

“The voluntary crew of Achill RNLI is always ready for call out and this is where the training and commitment across the team really pays off. A happy ending is what we always hope for and thankfully that was the case last night.”

Of the two men rescued from the cliff face, McNulty said: “They enjoyed a nice cup of soup on board the Achill RNLI lifeboat – I’m sure it seemed like the best soup they had ever tasted!”

After some eight hours, the Achill RNLI crew arrived back at the lifeboat station around 06.30am on Friday morning (6 January).

#RNLI - Country singer and RTÉ’s Best Newcomer 2016 Cliona Hagan is set to perform at the annual Bundoran RNLI dance, which takes place on Friday 27 January at the Great Northern Hotel in Bundoran.

The event, now in its 42nd year, is the flagship fundraising event for the charity that saves lives at sea and is a hugely anticipated staple in the local calendar.

“This is a huge fundraising night for us and we are forever grateful to our local supporters who come out in such great numbers each year,” said event director Cormac McGurren.

“I’d also like to acknowledge the sponsors of our raffle prizes who give so generously each January.

“We have decided to try out a less formal buffet-style this year and we hope that everyone attending will enjoy a good night of music and food.”

Speaking at the launch, Cliona Hagan said: “I’m really looking forward to playing at this prestigious event and supporting this great charity – I’ve heard such great things about the night and it promises to be a good one!”

Tickets are on sale locally from all lifeboat crew members, BMG Hardware Bundoran, McNern Barbers Ballyshannon, Temptations Beauty Studio Ballyshannon, O'Neill's Next Door Off Licence Ballyshannon and Bundoran Tourist Office.

All funds raised on the night remain at the local station in Bundoran and go towards crew training and maintenance of the boathouse and lifeboat itself.

#RNLI - Newcastle RNLI was requested by Belfast Coastgaurd to launch to the aid of what was believed to be a dinghy in trouble a half-mile south of Newcastle Harbour on Saturday afternoon (31 December).

However, when the inshore lifeboat arrived on scene, the crew discovered that the callout was to three kayakers in trouble, with one man found clinging to his kayak in the freezing water and unable to get to safety.

The lifeboat volunteers observed one kayak being towed by another but only one person was visible. On further investigation it was established there was one person in the water further along the shoreline.

Proceeding further south, the lifeboat crew located a male clinging to the front of his kayak, unable to get to safety.

The person was recovered from the freezing water onto the lifeboat and the crew carried out the RNLI’s ‘casualty care’ before returning to Newcastle Lifeboat Station to await the arrival of the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service.

The lifeboat then went back to the scene to rescue a further kayaker and his kayak while Newcastle Coastguard recovered the third casualty from the shore line. The casualties were transferred into the care of paramedics.

“Another five minutes and we could have been dealing with a completely different outcome,” said Newcastle RNLI lifeboat helm Alan Jones. “The water is absolutely freezing at this time of year.”

#RNLI - Wicklow RNLI expressed their concern for the family of a man missing in the Wicklow Harbour area since Tuesday (27 December).

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, a multi-agency response was launched on Tuesday morning after the man, said to be in his 40s or 50s, was reported missing when his clothes were found in the harbour.

Wicklow’s inshore and all-weather lifeboats joined Garda and Irish Coast Guard units in a co-ordinated search from Six Mile Point to Wicklow Harbour and south to Brittas Bay.

The multi-agency operation also involved Civil Defence, the Irish Underwater Search and Recovery Unit and volunteer divers from Wicklow Sub Aqua Club.

Speaking after the search operation, Wicklow RNLI volunteer lifeboat press officer Tommy Dover said: “Our volunteer crews were tasked by the coastguard to assist with the search over three days; they undertook extensive searches of the shore line and out to sea and completed the final sweep of the area as light faded on Thursday evening.

“Unfortunately the person was not located, and our thoughts are with the family at this time.”

#RNLI - The RNLI has compiled at video looking back at the work of the lifesaving charity in Ireland during 2016 through the footage taken from its lifeboats’ onboard cameras.

#RNLI - At 8.10am this morning (Wednesday 28 December), Bangor RNLI’s volunteer crew responded to a request from HM Coastguard to rescue a young man reported to be in difficulty while swimming 200 metres off the shore in Ballyholme Bay.

The alarm was raised by Ards and North Down council employee Mark Pollock as he was working in Banks Car Park. Hearing faint shouts, he initially thought it was someone calling for their dog, but persevered looking in the sea until he became aware that there was someone in the water.

Bangor RNLI’s volunteer crew responded within minutes and made their way to Ballyholme Bay.

Helmsman James Gillespie said later: “On arrival, the early morning light made it difficult to see, but fortunately the water was flat calm, and on scanning the area I saw a slight movement as the casualty raised his hand.”

Heading quickly to the scene, crew member Johnny Gedge entered the water to support the casualty, who was only just conscious, until he could be lifted on board the lifeboat, where crew members Joanne Heasley and Jack Irwin put their casualty care training to good use.

Gillespie added: “Our extensive training in casualty care is invaluable at a time like this. Because of this, we know the importance of not trying to warm the patient too quickly as this can cause cardiac arrest.

“Instead, we made the patient safe, and prevented further cooling, and returned as quickly and safely as we could to the lifeboat station where an ambulance and paramedics were waiting to take over.”

The patient, who is thought to be in his late 20s, was wearing only tracksuit bottoms, a T-shirt and socks, and it is unknown why he was in the water.

A shocked Pollock said: “I am just delighted that I heard his calls, and hope he makes a full recovery.”

Speaking after the ambulance left to take the patient to hospital, Bangor’s lifeboat operations manager Kevin Byers said: “I understand from talking to medical personnel at the scene, that only five minutes more in the water would have been fatal, and that the crew took exactly the right actions to give this young man the best chance of a full recovery.

“I am always proud of my team, but their response this morning was magnificent. Not just the four crew members on the boat, but the many others who responded to their pagers and were prepared to do whatever they could to help.”

#RNLI - Volunteers from Portaferry RNLI went to the aid of a man who had fallen down a cliff at Ardglass Golf Club on the Co Down coast yesterday (Tuesday 27 December).

The Portaferry lifeboat, an inshore Atlantic 85, launched at 2.55pm just minutes after the launch request from the coastguard to join a multi-service response which included the Northern Ireland Fire Service Specialist Rescue Team, coastguard units from Portaferry, Newcastle and Kilkeel, the PSNI, Northern Ireland Ambulance Service and Rescue 936, the HM Coastguard helicopter from Carnarvon in Wales.

According to Independent.ie, it’s understood that the casualty had slipped down a 30ft gorge at the Ardglass golf links around 2.20pm.

Arriving on scene at 3.17pm, one of Portaferry’s volunteers went ashore to offer assistance to the other members of the emergency services already attending the casualty.

The decision was taken to bring the man to the top of the cliff, where a landing area had been prepared for the rescue helicopter to airlift him to Belfast City Airport for transfer to Royal Victoria Hospital. Portaferry RNLI remained on scene while the casualty was recovered.