#RNLI - Skerries RNLI were tasked yesterday afternoon (15 April) to a small motor boat with three on board that had failed to return to port as expected.

Dublin Coast Guard tasked Skerries RNLI shortly after 1pm after receiving a 999 call from a member of the public who was concerned about a small motor boat that had gone to sea in the early hours of the morning.

There were three men on board the boat, and with the sea conditions changing and the wind increasing, there were concerns for their safety.

The Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat Louis Simson was launched with Joe May at the helm and with crew members Stephen Crowley, Paddy Dillon and Jack Keane.

As the lifeboat made its way towards Rush Harbour where the men had been seen launching, they received a call from Eoin Grimes, a volunteer helm, who was at sea on board his on boat and had spotted a vessel fitting the description near Lambay Island.

Grimes soon after confirmed that the vessel was still in the area and located at the North Cardinal mark off Lambay.

The lifeboat made its way directly to the position indicated and spoke to the men on board the vessel. They agreed that the conditions had changed significantly and were going to make for the shore. The lifeboat stood by but after a few minutes, it became apparent that they were not making any progress under their own power.

The three men were taken on board the lifeboat and their boat was taken under tow for a safe return to Rush Harbour.

Speaking after the callout, Skerries RNLI lifeboat press officer Gerry Canning said: “We would encourage anyone going to sea to always check the forecast, wear lifejackets, carry a means of calling for help and let somebody on shore know when you expect to return.”

#RNLI - Following its successful fundraising appeal, which saw locals raise the €65,000 needed to fund a new lifeboat, Fethard RNLI is asking the community to choose the name of their new lifesaving vessel.

The naming of an RNLI lifeboat is a special honour given to the donor of the boat — and in this case, that is the people of the Hook Peninsula.

Since 1885, Fethard RNLI’s lifeboats were provided centrally by the lifesaving charity from donors across Ireland and the UK. The current Fethard lifeboat, Tradewinds, was funded through the generosity of Bríd Mulhern of Dunmore.

The new lifeboat represents the first time in the station’s history that Fethard RNLI have funded a replacement locally. Incredibly, the money needed was raised in under 12 months.

Commenting on the new naming appeal, Oonagh Hearne from Fethard RNLI said: “Our community generously gave the money for our very own lifeboat. Now we need a name that represents our community and their generosity.

“It needs to reflect the seafarers that our lifeboat serves, be respectful of the work the volunteer lifeboat crew carry out and echo our community’s long history and tradition of saving lives at sea.

“We’re looking for more than just a name; we are looking for an identity that conveys the importance of the work that this lifeboat will be carrying out.”

Submissions should be made to Fethard RNLI lifeboat operations manager Walter Foley by email to [email protected] before Sunday 30 April.

A small committee representing the Fethard RNLI Lifeboat Management Group will consider all suggestions and put that name forward to the RNLI.

The new lifeboat is scheduled to arrive in December 2017 with the official naming ceremony to follow in summer of 2018. An announcement on the name will be made shortly after Easter.

#RNLI - Skerries RNLI rescued a swimmer in difficulty yesterday afternoon (Tuesday 11 April) after he encountered a strong tide near Shenick Island and was unable to make his way ashore.

Dublin Coast Guard tasked Skerries RNLI shortly before noon after receiving an emergency call from a member of the public who had spotted a swimmer struggling to make any progress against the tide at the island off Skerries.

Volunteers launched the Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat Louis Simson, with David Knight at the helm and crew Philip Ferguson, Joe May and Laura Boylan.

The lifeboat proceeded to the area indicated by the caller, where an Irish Coast Guard helicopter had also arrived on scene. They took the male casualty on board the lifeboat, protected him from the elements, and began first aid assessments as they made their way back to the station.

The casualty had swallowed seawater during his efforts to swim to shore and as a result, on the advice of the crew, he was transferred by ambulance to hospital for further assessment.

Speaking after the callout, Skerries RNLI lifeboat press office Gerry Canning said: “We’ve had a couple of tidal-related incidents in the last few days. We’d just like to remind people that the strength and height of the tide varies throughout the month.

“We would strongly recommend checking tide tables before engaging in any activity on or near the sea.”

#RNLI - A volunteer crew from Bangor RNLI was tasked with helping a yacht with three people and a dog on passage from Girvan in Western Scotland to Bangor Marina yesterday (Monday 10 April).

The yacht had a fouled prop and was making slow headway into the wind. Without engine power, they were unable to make their way safely to the Belfast Lough marina.

The inshore lifeboat, led by helmsman Peter Semple, attended – and as they approached the yacht they were informed the fouled prop had freed itself.

The crew offered to escort the yacht to safety to avoid further risk, and this offer was gratefully received.

Once in the marina, the lifeboat ensured all was well and returned to station.

Semple said: "We are delighted to have helped this yacht into the safety of Bangor Marina. In the event, we were not needed to tow the vessel, but the crew were happy to see us.”

#RNLI - Skerries RNLI rescued a man and a woman and two dogs on Sunday evening (9 April) after they had been stranded on rocks by the rising tide in Loughshinny.

Dublin Coast Guard tasked Skerries RNLI shortly before 9pm on Sunday evening, having received a 999 call from two people who had been cut off by the tide.

The lifeboat was launched with volunteer Eoin Grimes at the helm and crewed by Paddy Dillon, Emma Wilson and Peter Kennedy.

Making their way directly to Loughshinny Harbour, the lifeboat crew began a search of the immediate area. They spotted the casualty on the rocks using the light on a mobile phone to signal for help.

The casualties were taken on board the lifeboat and dropped back to the harbour, where they were met by volunteers from Skerries Coast Guard unit.

Conditions at the time were moderate with a Force 3 to 4 northerly wind.

Speaking about the callout, Skerries RNLI lifeboat operations manager Niall McGrotty said: “We’d like to remind everyone making the most of the coast in the good weather to always check the tides and forecast for the area and to carry a means of calling for help.”

#RNLI - At the end of a busy week for Bangor RNLI, the Belfast Lough volunteer crew launched to the rescue of two young paddleboarders who had got into difficulty just outside Ballyholme Bay yesterday (Saturday 8 April).

Launching just after 5pm following a call from the public, the Bangor lifeboat Jessie Hillyard launched to aid two girls who had been caught out by an offshore wind that was causing them to drift further out to sea.

Although it was a beautiful afternoon weather-wise, the girls hadn’t factored in the offshore wind, and this led to them getting more tired as they tried to return to base at Ballyholme Yacht Club.

The Bangor lifeboat, helmed by Peter Semple, made light work of picking up the girls and their boards and returning them to the slipway at the yacht club, where they were passed into the care of HM Coastguard.

After the rescue, Semple said: “We are delighted to have been able to return the two girls to safety. On arrival at the scene we were pleased to see that they were both wearing wetsuits and buoyancy aids, and had just misjudged the offshore wind.”

#RNLI - Following yesterday’s hoax calls, Bangor RNLI’s lifeboat volunteers rescued a man clinging to a capsized dinghy in Ballyholme Bay this afternoon (Monday 3 April).

The casualty, a 26-year old man, had quickly got into difficulty and capsized after launching from the Belfast Lough beach in a strong offshore wind gusting up to 30 knots.

This was seen by a member of the public who called 999, and CGOC Belfast Coastguard requested Bangor RNLI to respond.

Arriving on scene within minutes, the crew were delighted to see that the man had stayed with his boat and not tried to make it to shore. They were also happy to report that he was wearing appropriate safety gear: a wetsuit with a buoyancy aid.

After taking the casualty on board and assessing that he was uninjured, they returned him and his boat to the beach where the coastguard were waiting to assist.

Bangor lifeboat helm James Gillespie said: “This man clearly made the wrong decision to attempt to sail in a new boat in such conditions, but by wearing appropriate wet weather gear and staying with his boat he made our rescue much easier.

“The body tires quickly is cold water and he made the right decision to stay with his boat, knowing that his plight had been seen from the shore.”

Bangor RNLI’s deputy launching authority, Bryan Lawther added: “We are delighted to have been to help this man and bring him to safety. He has been advised to further his sailing knowledge with the assistance of a yacht club where rescue services are always on hand for learners.

“After yesterday’s hoax calls, this rescue highlights the importance of our service and our willingness to attend any genuine call.”

#Hoax - The UK coastguard has decried an “elaborate hoax” after lifeboats and a coastguard helicopter were launched after several calls from someone claiming to be a kayaker in difficulty off the Co Down coast.

As BBC News reports, lifeboats from Bangor and Donaghadee RNLI respectively joined a rescue helicopter from HM Coastguard in Scotland in the search off the Copeland Islands yesterday (Sunday 2 April) that was declared a hoax after a thorough search of the area.

#RNLI - Dun Laoghaire RNLI’s inshore lifeboat was called out twice yesterday (Thursday 16 March) to separate instances of kitesurfers in distress.

The first callout was to Dollymount Strand on Bull Island across Dublin Bay, in which the casualty was landed ashore to Howth coastguard volunteers.

The second was off Sandymount, with the kitesurfer involved landed to the care of Dun Laoghaire’s Irish Coast Guard unit.

No medical attention was required in either incident.

#Rescue - Schull’s independent community lifeboat will soon join the Irish Coast Guard, as the Southern Star reports.

Established in 2005, the Schull Community Inshore Rescue Service will be officially renamed as Schull Coast Guard later this month after two years of talks on assimilating the West Cork volunteer rescue service with the national SAR agency.

A reception is planned to mark the change, details of which will be announced on the SCIRS Facebook page.

The Southern Star has more on the story HERE.