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Here's video of the salvage and righting operation after the capsize of the super maxi ocean racing yacht Rambler 100 during the Fastnet race 2011.

The 100-foot yacht capsized shorthly after rounding the Fastnet rock, the result it appears of a catastrophic keel failure.

All 21 crew were saved thanks to the work of the Irish emergency services. The footage is taken by Baltimore Sea Safari. All our Fastnet and Rambler 100 coverage is here.

Published in Fastnet
Searching resumed at first light this morning for a teenager reported missing last night in Co Donegal.
The 17-year-old, believed to be from Derry, was last seen by friends around 1:30am when their group went swimming in Lough Swilly at Rathmullan, RTÉ News reports.
Garda divers and members of the Sheephaven Sub Aqua Club and have been assisting in the search.

Searching resumed at first light this morning for a teenager reported missing last night in Co Donegal.

The 17-year-old, believed to be from Derry, was last seen by friends around 1:30am when their group went swimming in Lough Swilly at Rathmullan, RTÉ News reports.

Garda divers and members of the Sheephaven Sub Aqua Club and have been assisting in the search.

Published in Water Safety
A major search is underway for a missing person, believed to have fallen overboard from his boat off Rathlin Island.

Belfast Coastguard received a call at 4:45pm from a ferry passing the area reporting they had seen a RIB with no one on board between Ballycastle and Rathlin Island.

Coastguard Rescue Officers from Ballycastle and Portrush have been sent to the area. Belfast Coastguard have requested the launch of the Portrush RNLI all weather and Redbay RNLI inshore lifeboats and scrambled Rescue Helicopter 177 from RAF Prestwick to the scene.

Rob Steventon, Watch Manager, Belfast Coastguard, said:

"A major search is currently underway, with many other vessels in the area assisting.  We believe the occupant of the boat may well have fallen overboard as there is rope caught around the propeller."

Published in Coastguard
Tagged under
The bodies of two fishermen missing off the Skerries coast since last Friday have been found.
Ronan Browne, 26, and David Gilsenan, 41, had not been seen since setting out from Skerries harbour on the morning of 1 April.
As previously reported by Afloat.ie, the alarm was raised when they had failed to return by 6.30pm and a coast guard search began immediately.
Naval vessels joined the operation as the search continued following the discovery of an upturned hull and an oil slick near Clogherhead, Co Louth.
According to RTÉ News, at 1.40am yesterday morning a fishing vessel discovered the bodies of the two men caught in its fishing gear some five miles east of Clogherhead. They were recovered by RNLI lifeboat.
RTÉ News has more on the story HERE.

The bodies of two fishermen missing off the Skerries coast since last Friday have been found.

Ronan Browne, 26, and David Gilsenan, 41, had not been seen since setting out from Skerries harbour on the morning of 1 April.

As previously reported by Afloat.ie, the alarm was raised when they had failed to return by 6.30pm and a coast guard search began immediately. 

Naval vessels joined the operation as the search continued following the discovery of an upturned hull and an oil slick near Clogherhead, Co Louth.

According to RTÉ News, at 1.40am yesterday morning a fishing vessel discovered the bodies of the two men caught in its fishing gear some five miles east of Clogherhead. They were recovered by RNLI lifeboat.

RTÉ News has more on the story HERE.

Published in Rescue
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is holding a public meeting in Belfast on Thursday 3rd March 2011, about the proposed Coastguard modernisation programme.

The meeting will provide an opportunity for the community around the existing Belfast Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) to hear more about the proposals, ask questions of MCA representatives and air their views.

The meeting at Marine Court Hotel, 18-20 Quay Street, Bangor. BT20 5ED will be independently chaired and begin at 7:30pm. The meeting is expecting to draw to a close by 9:00pm.

The proposals for Coastguard modernisation, together with the consultation documents, can be found on the MCA website at www.mcga.gov.uk  and www.dft.gov.uk

Published in Coastguard
A search for a missing 18 year old boy that was launched after his friends feared he had fallen from Central Pier was stood down at 01.50 this morning after he was found hiding in the crew accommodation of a nearby fishing vessel.

The call came in at 23.40 from a member of the marina staff after the boy's two friends had told him that all three of them had climbed over the gate into the pier, but that their friend had not come back and they were concerned that he must have fallen into the water.

Belfast Coastguard sent the Bangor Coastguard Rescue Team to begin a search, as well as requesting the launch of the Bangor RNLI lifeboat. Members of the Police, Ambulance and Fire Service are also on scene.

At 01.50, the boy was found hiding in a compartment in the crew accommodation of a fishing vessel near the pier, and the search was stood down.

Belfast Coastguard Watch Manager Alan Pritchard said:

"This group of three boys had been at a birthday party in the town before climbing the gate this evening to access the pier.  Incidents such as these remind of us of the dangers of being in proximity to the water when you have been drinking alcohol – be it going swimming, or walking along cliffs or piers.  Although on this occasion the boy has been found safe and well, this could easily have been a much more serious incident."

Published in Coastguard
15th February 2011

Body Found in Galway Bay

The body of a man was found yesterday on an uninhabited island in Galway Bay, according to RTÉ News.
The body was discovered on the shoreline of Rabbit Island, close to the entrance to Galway Harbour, by a coastguard helicopter during a search for a man seen falling into the River Corrib on Sunday night.
However the body is said to have been in the water for more than a week.
A post-mortem was set to be carried out at Galway University Hospital yesterday afternoon, while the air and sea search of the bay continues.

The body of a man was found yesterday on an uninhabited island in Galway Bay, according to RTÉ News.

The body was discovered on the shoreline of Rabbit Island, close to the entrance to Galway Harbour, by a coastguard helicopter during a search for a man seen falling into the River Corrib on Sunday night.

However the body is said to have been in the water for more than a week. 

A post-mortem was set to be carried out at Galway University Hospital yesterday afternoon, while the air and sea search of the bay continues.

Published in Coastguard
An Irish diving instructor is feared dead on Thailand after separating from his team during a deep dive.
TheJournal.ie has compiled reports that Peter McCarthy was with another diver in Song Hong Lake in southern Thailand last weekend when he signalled his intention to stay behind. But he never resurfaced, and his colleagues now fear the worst.
The 47-year-old, who has lived in Thailand for 10 years, had apparently been leading a group of tourists on a dive, using SCUBA gear that allows divers to reach deeper depths than usual.

An Irish diving instructor is feared dead on Thailand after separating from his team during a deep dive.

TheJournal.ie has compiled reports that Peter McCarthy was with another diver in Song Hong Lake in southern Thailand last weekend when he signalled his intention to stay behind. But he never resurfaced, and his colleagues now fear the worst.

The 47-year-old, who has lived in Thailand for 10 years, had apparently been leading a group of tourists on a dive, using SCUBA gear that allows divers to reach deeper depths than usual.

Published in Diving
30th September 2009

Boru Dive Unit

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Boru Dive Unit

The principal activities of the club include diving, search and rescue and powerboating.

Boru Dive Unit, c/o Jason Kenny, Shanley, Inchdrinagh, Ballina/Killaloe. Email: [email protected]

Have we got your club details? Click here to get involved

Published in Clubs
Page 5 of 5

Ferry & Car Ferry News The ferry industry on the Irish Sea, is just like any other sector of the shipping industry, in that it is made up of a myriad of ship operators, owners, managers, charterers all contributing to providing a network of routes carried out by a variety of ships designed for different albeit similar purposes.

All this ferry activity involves conventional ferry tonnage, 'ro-pax', where the vessel's primary design is to carry more freight capacity rather than passengers. This is in some cases though, is in complete variance to the fast ferry craft where they carry many more passengers and charging a premium.

In reporting the ferry scene, we examine the constantly changing trends of this sector, as rival ferry operators are competing in an intensive environment, battling out for market share following the fallout of the economic crisis. All this has consequences some immediately felt, while at times, the effects can be drawn out over time, leading to the expense of others, through reduced competition or takeover or even face complete removal from the marketplace, as witnessed in recent years.

Arising from these challenging times, there are of course winners and losers, as exemplified in the trend to run high-speed ferry craft only during the peak-season summer months and on shorter distance routes. In addition, where fastcraft had once dominated the ferry scene, during the heady days from the mid-90's onwards, they have been replaced by recent newcomers in the form of the 'fast ferry' and with increased levels of luxury, yet seeming to form as a cost-effective alternative.

Irish Sea Ferry Routes

Irrespective of the type of vessel deployed on Irish Sea routes (between 2-9 hours), it is the ferry companies that keep the wheels of industry moving as freight vehicles literally (roll-on and roll-off) ships coupled with motoring tourists and the humble 'foot' passenger transported 363 days a year.

As such the exclusive freight-only operators provide important trading routes between Ireland and the UK, where the freight haulage customer is 'king' to generating year-round revenue to the ferry operator. However, custom built tonnage entering service in recent years has exceeded the level of capacity of the Irish Sea in certain quarters of the freight market.

A prime example of the necessity for trade in which we consumers often expect daily, though arguably question how it reached our shores, is the delivery of just in time perishable products to fill our supermarket shelves.

A visual manifestation of this is the arrival every morning and evening into our main ports, where a combination of ferries, ro-pax vessels and fast-craft all descend at the same time. In essence this a marine version to our road-based rush hour traffic going in and out along the commuter belts.

Across the Celtic Sea, the ferry scene coverage is also about those overnight direct ferry routes from Ireland connecting the north-western French ports in Brittany and Normandy.

Due to the seasonality of these routes to Europe, the ferry scene may be in the majority running between February to November, however by no means does this lessen operator competition.

Noting there have been plans over the years to run a direct Irish –Iberian ferry service, which would open up existing and develop new freight markets. Should a direct service open, it would bring new opportunities also for holidaymakers, where Spain is the most visited country in the EU visited by Irish holidaymakers ... heading for the sun!