#RNLI - Enniskillen RNLI is to get a new lifeboat station at its Carrybridge base on Upper Lough Erne, it has emerged.

Planning permission for the new build has been passed by Fermanagh District Council and the RNLI’s tendering process is now underway, with a view for building work to commence in late summer.

Once complete, the modern station - much like the new facility for Castletownbere RNLI that opened recently - will replace the existing temporary accommodation which has housed the charity’s volunteer lifeboat crew for the past 11 years.

In order to facilitate the project, the local community is being asked to help the RNLI raise £60,000 (€70,000) towards the cost, which will help Enniskillen RNLI continue to save lives on Lough Erne.

In 2001, Enniskillen became home to the RNLI’s first inland lifeboat station based on Lower Lough Erne.

Due to the overall size and complexity of the lough and its high leisure usage, the decision was taken by the RNLI in 2002 to base a second lifeboat on the upper lough that would work in conjunction with the original lifeboat station on the lower lough.

With two bases, two inshore lifeboats and two rescue water craft, the station has since proved to be one of the busiest in Ireland.

Last year alone, Enniskillen RNLI launched 46 times bringing 50 people to safety. Some 20 of those services were carried out in the dark while the crew spent 169 service hours on the water.

RNLI divisional operations manager Gareth Morrison said he was delighted that planning had now been approved making way for what will be a purpose-built station in a location close to the lough allowing for an efficient launch.

"In an area that receives over 100 days of heavy rainfall a year, it is hard to believe the volunteer crew based at the upper lough operate from just a temporary facility, partly exposed to the elements," said Morrison.

"The crew has to change in a small, damp, metal container and only has a portaloo and wash basin for their comfort. There is nowhere for the crew to shower or dry after a challenging rescue and nowhere for them to gather and train together during the week.

"We want to build a modern station with full crew facilities with areas for the crew to change and train and space to keep their lifeboat and rescue water craft and lifesaving kit safe."

Enniskillen RNLI lifeboat operations manager Davey Robinson said a new station was what the crew deserved.

"At the moment we are operating out of a temporary facility. It is cramped and there are no showers so the crew cannot warm up after a cold, wet and tiring rescue. A new station will be great for the crew. We are a busy station so it is what they deserve."

He added: "It is always reassuring for locals and visitors alike that the RNLI is here to assist them or help their loved ones when they get into difficulty. We try to act as a safety net on Lough Erne and are here 24 hours a day. But we need the right facilities to do that and this new station will help."

Donations and other assistance with fundraising are welcome. For details contact Tony Hiney, RNLI community fundraising manager, at 087 219 8917 or email [email protected].

#rnli – The Bundoran RNLI Lifeboat was tasked to Mullaghmore, County Sligo yesterday to assist in the search for two divers feared to have gone missing from a dive.

Launching within 4 minutes of being tasked by Malin Head Coast Guard, the volunteer crew of the Bundoran RNLI lifeboat made their way to Mullaghmore to assist the Rescue 118 helicopter and the dive boat which had been unable to make contact with the two divers.

An initial call had been made to the Coast Guard by passers-by who had seen the two divers in trouble.

As the lifeboat approached the scene they were stood down as the divers had been located by their dive boat, outside of the initial dive area, due to severe currents in the area.

Head Helm for Bundoran RNLI Lifeboat Brian Gillespie said 'we are happy that this was a positive outcome – had it not been for the quick thinking of the member of the public who called the Coast Guard, it may have been a different story. We would always advise anyone who thinks they see someone in trouble on the coast, even if they are unsure, to call 999 and ask for the Coast Guard. We would much rather be called out to make sure everything is ok than have a possible incident go unreported'.

#rnli – Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat launched twice at the weekend to assist two separate cruisers that had run aground.

The lifeboat launched earlier today to assist five people in difficulty after their 43ft cruiser grounded on rocks inside The Goat Road, midway down the eastern shore of Lough Derg.

On Saturday night, May 25, the Lifeboat was requested to assist 6 people when their 33ft grounded on rocks close to Terryglass, at the northern end of Lough Derg.

At 14.20hrs on Sunday afternoon, May 26, Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat to launch to assist five people, after their 43ft cruiser grounded on rocks inside The Goat Road, on the eastern shore of Lough Derg.

The lifeboat launched at 14.30hrs with Helm Gerry O'Neill, Robbie Garland and Tom Dunne on board.  Winds were south westerly, Force 4. The lifeboat was alongside the casualty vessel at 15.00hrs.  An RNLI crew member was transferred to their boat; he found all five people to be safe and unharmed and asked them to put on their lifejackets.   After it was established that the vessel was not holed, the RNLI crew set up for a tow, and the lifeboat took them off the rocks and out into safe water.  Once in safe water and all controls were confirmed in working order, the cruiser made way, in company with a lake cruiser, under it's own power to it's next destination.  The Lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 16.15hrs.

Lough Derg RNLI Helm Gerry O'Neill advises boat users to 'be attentive to the navigation marks when fishing from a cruiser, as, with wind shifts, it is easy to drift inside the mark and into shallow water.'  Lough Derg RNLI crew member Robbie Garland advises water users to 'always wear their lifejacket'.

On Saturday night the Lifeboat was requested to assist 6 people when their 33ft grounded on rocks close to Terryglass, at the northern end of Lough Derg.

At 20.55hrs on Saturday night, May 25, Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat was requested  by Valentia Coast Guard, to go to the assistance of six people on board a 33ft cruiser, aground close to Terryglass at the northern end of Lough Derg.  There was a light southerly breeze, with good visibilty.

When the call was received the lifeboat was already afloat on exercise with Helm Lian Knight, Tom Dunne and Jason Freeman on board.  At 21.17hrs the lifeboat arrived on scene.  An RNLI crew member boarded the cruiser and after reassuring the six people on board, checked the vessel for damage.  Once satisfied that the boat was not holed, the lifeboat took the cruiser off the rocks and out into deep water.  The cruiser proceeded under her own power to Terryglass Harbour.

The lifeboat returned to Station and was ready for service again at 22.30hrs

#rnli – lifeboat crew with Larne RNLI launched this afternoon when three people got into difficulty at Portmuck near Islandmagee. A male swimmer tried to help when he witnessed a woman and child being blown out to sea on an inflatable dinghy. However the swimmer was unable to reach the pair who were drifting dangerously out to sea.

Larne RNLI were requested to launch their inshore lifeboat at 5pm and were on scene minutes later.  They located the dinghy with the two onboard about a mile from shore and were alerted to the position of the swimmer some distance away.  They immediately went to the exhausted man and recovered him onto the lifeboat before taking the woman and child onto the lifeboat.

The three were met on shore by members of Portmuck coastguard, where they were checked for injuries.  All three were shaken but not hurt by their ordeal.  The lifeboat crew destroyed the dinghy and brought it back to shore.

Speaking on the callout Larne RNLI lifeboat helm Pamela Dorman said, "Thankfully all three people involved were safely brought home.  The swimmer saw what was happening and tried to help but the dinghy was acting as a sail and being blown further out to sea with the occupants unable to control it.  He was exhausted, which is why we recovered him first into the lifeboat before returning to the dinghy and rescuing the woman and child.

While the weather was good there was a strong wind. Inflatables can easily be blown out to sea and are not ideal for the coast."

Larne RNLI volunteer crewmembers Christopher Dorman and Barry Kirpatrick were the two other lifeboat crew on the callout.

#RNLI - A man has drowned after attempting to rescue three teenagers who got into difficulty while swimming in Courtown Harbour yesterday 25 May.

The Irish Times reports that the man entered the water after the boys started to struggle in the cold water around lunchtime yesterday.

But despite helping the teens to safety - one of them believed to be his son - the man himself succumbed to the cold.

According to RTÉ News, the Courtown RNLI lifeboat attended the scene within minutes and recovered the 39-year-old from the water, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

#RNLI - The volunteer lifeboat crew at Kilmore Quay RNLI in Co Wexford had a busy time last week with five call-outs in seven days.

In the first incident on Monday 13 May, a French 6.5m yacht with two people on board got into difficulty as it was taking part in a 'mini Fastnet' yacht race.

The vessel’s crew decided to make for Kilmore Quay due to adverse weather. The yacht had no engine due to race rules and so the lifeboat was reqested to help the crew safely get into the harbour.

The second call-out came last Wednesday evening (15 May) when a member of the public reported to Dublin Coast Guard that a yacht was close in shore and flashing a light.

As the lifeboat crew were letting go the ropes, the coastguard made contact with the vessel, which was at anchor and did not require any assistance.

On Friday afternoon 17 May, the volunteer crew was alerted when an 8m pleasure craft with two people on board had fouled its propeller a quarter mile off the South Head of the Great Saltee Island.

The vessel was freed by the lifeboat crew using a grapnel hook and cutting the rope before towing the boat back to Kilmore Quay Marina.

And last Sunday 19 May saw two shouts which were similar in nature.

The first in the morning involved a small leisure craft with four people on board which suffered engine failure. The crew was relying on a mobile phone for their communications and combined with poor English, it made the task of finding them more challenging.

The crew members were eventually located to the west of the Saltees and were brought back ashore safe and well.

Later the same day, another small leisure craft - this time with three people aboard and again relying on a mobile phone for their communications - had lost power while fishing at the south side of the Little Saltee Island.

The lifeboat was on scene a short time later and towed the vessel back to Kilmore Quay.

The Asgard Angling Club in Howth presented Howth RNLI with a cheque for €750 on Monday (20 May 2013).

In total €1500 was raised through the annual sale of the club's calendar which was sold through local shops and featured images of Howth. Half of the money was donated to the RNLI and the rest to the Howth Active Retirement group.

Gus Quigley, President of the Asgard Angling Club said, "The RNLI is a local charity, and as boat users it gives us great peace of mind to know that the volunteer lifeboat crew will always be there if we ever need them. My own father, Lawrence was a member of the lifeboat crew in Howth for 42 years".

"The Asgard Angling Club in Howth are great supporters of the RNLI and the funds raised will ensure that our lifeboat crews go to sea with the best equipment and training available to ensure their safety when saving lives at sea", according to Rose Michael, Howth RNLI Fundraising Chairperson.

Lifeboat crew at Tramore RNLI were called out this morning to help assist a whale which had become tangled up in lobster pots. Working alongside an inshore fishing vessel, the two crews worked together to free the mammal.

The lifeboat was launched with around 11.30am after a local fishing vessel reported what they believed to be a whale caught up in lobster pots a quarter of a mile out from shore. When the lifeboat arrived on scene they had to wait some minutes for the creature to surface.

On closer inspection it was discovered that the rope holding some lobster pots together had become snagged in the mammal's mouth and it was turning around in the water repeatedly, attempting to free itself.

The lifeboat worked alongside the inshore fishing vessel, which had an onboard winch, to try and cut the rope free from the mammal's mouth.  At first the lifeboat crew tried to take hold of the rope but they were being dragged by the mammal.  This continued when they passed the rope onto the larger fishing vessel.

It was then the mammal was hoisted onto the winch of the inshore fishing vessel and the rope was cut free.  The lobster pots where then hauled onboard and the mammal on becoming free from the pots calmly swam out to sea.

Commenting on the callout Tramore RNLI crewmember Tom McConnell said, "This was a huge creature.  We had to be extremely cautious and work carefully with the other vessel to free it. We felt that one wrong move and we could be flipped over in our inshore lifeboat.  We had asked our colleagues in Dunmore East RNLI to be on standby with their all weather lifeboat but thankfully the whale was freed and able to return the deeper waters."

Castletownbere RNLI has officially opened its new lifeboat station and facilities on the Beara Peninsula in West Cork. The entire project cost €950,000 and has resulted in the volunteer lifeboat crew moving from the temporary accommodation, where they were based for 15 years, to a more central location. The move has resulted in the launch time of the lifeboat being halved.

Over four hundred people turned out for the ceremony and service of dedication where afterwards they took the opportunity to take a tour of the new station and pontoon, where the all-weather lifeboat Annette Hutton is moored.

Accepting the station and facilities into the care of the Institution, John Coyle, Chairperson of the RNLI Irish Council said, "This day stands as a testament to years of hard work by the people of Castletownbere.  Long before there was a station here the people of Castletownbere supported the lifeboats. What this station has achieved in less than two decades is nothing short of remarkable.

Today we spare a thought for those whom we have lost to the sea and we hope that this station will be a symbol of hope and reassurance to those families whose loved ones are involved with the sea whether through work or pleasure."

Aflaot.ie correspondent Tom MacSweeney officially declared the facilities open.  Speaking about the station he said, "This is an impressive building, providing facilities which are essential for the lifeboat crew and to which they are entitled.  They deserve every support and facility in the difficult and dangerous task which they undertake; saving lives at sea.

The modern facilities here might only have been the dream of past lifeboat crews, today they are welcome, adding to this voluntary service.  There is no greater service which a human being can give to another than to risk one's own life. May you always be available to those in peril from the sea and may the sea always be kind to you."

Castletownbere RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew L-R Killian Martin-Sullivan, Ciara O’Driscoll and Cian Murphy at yesterday's new station opening. Photo: Provision

Speaking on behalf of all the volunteers involved with Castletownbere RNLI, Lifeboat Operations Manager Tony O'Sullivan concluded, "Castletownbere lifeboat is well equipped to provide a first class rescue service to all marine traffic in the vicinity.  Together with other organisations the crew in Castletownbere provides an excellent service to their community.  The crew is ready and willing to respond to a call for help no matter what time of day and whatever the weather."

The volunteer lifeboat crew moved into the new station late last year after spending 15 years in temporary accommodation at Dinish Island.  The ambitious building project includes a two storey lifeboat station with an adjoining pontoon from where the station's Severn class all weather lifeboat launches.  The station houses a crew changing room, RNLI shop, training room and an operations office.

Casltetownbere RNLI has launched 223 times since the lifeboat was first put on service. Its crews have rescued 288 people and saved 30 lives. Last year alone, the lifeboat launched 10 times, bringing 12 people to safety. Five of those services took place in the dark while the volunteer crew spent 258 service hours at sea.

Among those in attendance at the event were John Nolan, Chairman of the Castletownbere RNLI Lifeboat Management Group, Father Sean O'Shea, RNLI Chaplain and Reverend Paul Willoughby, who both performed a service of dedication.

Crosshaven lifeboat rescued a faller in Cork Harbour this afternoon.

Coast Guard radio paged the volunteers of Crosshaven RNLI lifeboat at the request of the Ambulance Service after a male fell from height onto the foreshore
near Cobh.

The lifeboat with Kieran Coniry, Ian Venner and Vincent Fleming launched at 3.35pm and made its way to the incident.

On arrival, It was agreed to medevac the casualty and stretcher by lifeboat to an accessible slipway in Cobh, where once again the casualty was handed back into the care of the ambulance service for transport to hospital.