#rnli – Baltimore RNLI have officially named the new €3m Tamar class lifeboat Alan Massey at a harbour ceremony yesterday.

The lifeboat was substantially funded by a legacy from Ms Dorothy May Massey in honour of her late brother Alan.  It was named by Mrs Sue Windsor, a close family friend of Ms Massey, before being handed over to Baltimore RNLI.

Mr. Declan Tiernan, Chairperson of the Baltimore Lifeboat Station stated that the lifeboat has already proved its worth.  He told the crowd about a recent callout which involved the new lifeboat and its Y boat (an inflatable boat carried on the deck of the lifeboat).  Last month two teenagers were trapped in a cave and conditions were making it impossible for rescuers to get close, the lifeboat crew deployed the small Y boat from the lifeboat to bring the lifeboat volunteers as far into the narrow cave as they could safely go before a crewmember then swam the rest of the way and brought them to safety.

RNLI Operations Director Michael Vlasto OBE, who travelled to Baltimore to accept the lifeboat into the care of the Institution commented, " Baltimore's lifeboats have a proud history of lifesaving dating back to 1919 and since then have launched 718 times and in so doing have rescued 661 people.  Ten medals have been awarded, the last being voted in 1992 to the current Coxswain Kieran Cotter.

In the RNLI, the safety of our volunteer crew is paramount.  We strive to ensure they have the best lifeboats, excellent training and first class equipment to carry out their often difficult tasks.  This Tamar lifeboat is state of the art and has proven to be a thoroughly reliable and capable lifesaving craft since its arrival here at Baltimore."

Tom Bushe, Baltimore RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager accepted the lifeboat into the care of the Baltimore Lifeboat station.  The new lifeboat has already launched 14 times and rescued 17 people since its arrival in February.  Tom added, " We are very proud to be the custodians of this lifeboat. The crew in Baltimore provide an exceptional service to their community. These are ordinary people who are ready to risk their own lives in the service of others."

The lifeboat was officially named in the traditional way of breaking a bottle of champagne over the bow.Mrs Sue Windsor then named the lifeboat Alan Massey.

Ms Dorothy May Massey was born in 1906 and lived in Watford.  She was the youngest of three children.  It was her wish to fund a lifeboat and she passed away in 2003 aged 97.  The Baltimore Tamar lifeboat has been substantially funded by her legacy together with the generous bequests of Henry and Joan Jermyn, John Noel Harvey Ward and John Heath.

The new Tamar class lifeboat is 16.3 metres in length with a maximum speed of 25 knots compared to the 14.3 metres of Baltimore RNLI's former Tyne class lifeboat, which had a maximum speed of 18 knots.  The lifeboat is self-righting and is fitted with an integrated electronics systems and information management system, which allows the lifeboat crew to monitor, operate and control many of the boats systems from shock mitigating seats.  It has room for 44 survivors.

The event included local school children from Rath National School who sang the lifeboat anthem Home from the Sea and groups and musicians including the Rathmore Church Choir, The Baltimore Singers and HX Brass.

#RESCUE - The Irish Examiner reports that a man has been airlifted to hospital after taking ill on a fishing vessel off Galway yesterday Friday 21 September.

The man reportedly experienced chest pains on board the fishing boat off the coast of Spiddal.

Galway RNLI's lifeboat was dispatched to the scene to attend to the man before he was airlifted by Irish Coast Guard rescue helicopter to Galway University Hospital. His condition is as yet unknown.

#rnli – A sister's legacy in memory of her beloved brother will be honoured tomorrow (Saturday 22 September 2012) in West Cork when Baltimore RNLI hold the official naming ceremony and service of dedication for their new Tamar class lifeboat Alan Massey.

The €3 million lifeboat was largely funded through a legacy left by Ms Dorothy May Massey from Watford in England and is being named in memory of her late brother Alan.  Dorothy was born in 1906 and passed away in 2003 aged 97, leaving instructions that she wished to fund a lifeboat in memory of her brother Alan.  He had been a merchant seaman and after the death of his wife, went to live with his two sisters until he passed away in 1990 aged 87.

The lifeboat will be officially named by Mrs. Sue Windsor, a long time family friend of Ms. Massey.  Mr. Michael Vlasto, RNLI Operations Director will also be attending to accept the lifeboat into the care of the RNLI before passing it on to the people of Baltimore, to be looked after and operated by the volunteer lifeboat crew under the guidance of well known Coxswain Kieran Cotter.

The Alan Massey (ON 1302)  lifeboat arrived into Baltimore over seven months ago and was greeted by crowds of people who lined the route of its arrival from the famous Beacon at the entrance to Baltimore right into the mouth of the harbour.  The RNLI are hoping for an even bigger turnout for the ceremony with many of the charity's volunteer lifeboat crew attending from the other 43 lifeboat stations in Ireland.

The new Tamar class lifeboat is 16.3 metres in length with a maximum speed of 25 knots compared to the 14.3 metres of Baltimore RNLI's former Tyne class lifeboat which had a maximum speed of 18 knots.  The lifeboat is self-righting and is fitted with an integrated electronics systems and information management system, which allows the lifeboat crew to monitor, operate and control many of the boats systems from shock mitigating seats.

The lifeboat was substantially funded by a legacy from Ms. Dorothy May Massey, together with the generous bequests of: Henry and Joan Jermyn, John Noel Harvey Ward and John Heath.

#rnli – This summer, RNLI lifeboats in Ireland launched 377 times, a slight drop on last year's total of 389. The charity's volunteer crewmembers were involved in many different types of callouts to a range of casualties.

Many of the launches were due to people getting caught out by the tide, problems with their vessel's engine or machinery, and an increasing range of leisure marine activities.  However there were also a number of tragedies and many of the RNLI's lifeboat crews were involved in searching for missing loved ones or in bringing them home.

The figures, which cover the period June 1 to August 31 2012 and include all the charity's lifeboats across Ireland, are down three per cent compared to the 2011 figures, which may be due to the unpredictable weather over the summer months.

The busiest station overall in Ireland was Enniskillen, which operates two inshore lifeboats on Lough Erne and two Rescue Water Craft. They launched 23 times over the summer. They were followed by Dun Laoghaire RNLI in Dublin and lifeboat crews in Bangor and Portrush who all launched 18 times each.  The next busiest station was Baltimore in West Cork, who are naming their new €3million lifeboat this Saturday; their volunteer lifeboat crew launched 16 times.

The newly opened lifeboat station on Lough Ree at Coosan Point in Athlone, which is currently on a twelve month trial, was also busy with nine launches this summer.

Rising tides and rough conditions caught some sea users out and lifeboat crews rescued swimmers in difficulty in Lough Swilly, County Donegal and Red Bay, County Antrim.  Both swimmers were saved when they were spotted from the shore by a member of the public who alerted the Coast Guard and the lifeboats were launched.  In one of the most memorable callouts for a lifeboat crew this summer, Baltimore RNLI put their new lifeboat to good use alongside their inshore one to help save the lives of two teenage kayakers who were trapped in a cave when a wave capsized them. In challenging conditions and churning seas, a lifeboat volunteer swam into the cave and brought the pair to safety as part of a multi-agency operation.

However alongside the rescues and calls for assistance there were also a number of tragedies this summer. During one week in August five lives were lost in four separate tragedies off the coasts of Cork, Mayo and Clare.  Lifeboat crews were involved in searches with colleagues in the Irish Coast Guard, Garda and Navy divers, sub aqua clubs, local boats and volunteers.

Owen Medland, RNLI Training Divisional Inspector said: "This has been another busy summer for the RNLI despite the unpredictable weather.  There have been some stories of incredible bravery and also some stories of devastating loss.  In all cases our lifeboat volunteers have shown extreme professionalism and commitment.  Each and every callout is different and conditions, location, duration and activity can all vary.  In many cases our volunteers are involved in callouts that go on for a number of hours throughout the night and their employers support them in their volunteering."

There are 44 RNLI lifeboat stations in Ireland with three operating inland at Lough Erne in Enniskillen, Lough Derg in Dromineer and Lough Ree in Athlone. Lifeboat crew at these stations operate 56 lifeboats and two rescue water craft all year round.

#sikorsky – Crew from Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat Station were one of the rescue services invited on a familiarisation exercise of the new Sikorsky S-92, with four crew from the Irish Coast Guard Search & Rescue Helicopter team, based at Shannon.

Crews from the Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat Station, Limerick Marine Rescue and The Killaloe/Ballina Irish Coast Guard Unit were invited to a familiarisation exercise of the new, Shannon based, Irish Coast Guard Search and Rescue Sikorsky S-92 helicopter at Ballina, Co. Clare.

The helicopter landed on the GAA pitch in Ballina, Co. Clare at 16.40hrs.  After greeting and a safety brief, we worked in teams of five and six. The helicopter crew each took a group for discussion and a tour.  Liam Flynn, chief pilot with the IRCG search and rescue service, talked to the RNLI group about the helicopter and took our questions. Later, on the exercise, we got to see his phenomenal flying skills at close quarters.

Paramedic and Winchman, Gary Robinson, went through the differences that rescue crews should expect with the new helicopter, and later coordinated the basket transfer of a stretcher 'casualty' onto and off the helicopter whilst the engines were running. This exercise was to familiarise crews with the more powerful downdrafts from the Sikorsky S-92. He also briefed us prior to and then directed the winches.

This was an invaluable exercise, as we all work regularly with the helicopter crews on rescues.  All of the organisations involved gave huge thanks to Joe Doolan, Chief Officer at the Killaloe/Ballina Irish Coast Guard Search and Rescue, for the hospitality laid on everyone following the exercise

#rnli –Yesterday afternoon, a lone fisherman contacted the emergency services seeking assistance when his propeller became fouled 3 miles south of Ballycotton lighthouse off the East Cork coast.

The Ballycotton lifeboat, Austin Lidbury, launched at 16:20 and proceeded to the casualty. When they arrived on scene it was found the 20 foot fishing vessel was still attached to the net and it was necessary to cut it free. The vessel was taken under tow to Ballycotton harbour where it was safely secured alongside the pier wall at 17:30.

#rnli – Howth and Dun Laoghaire RNLI rescued five rowing skiffs in Dublin Bay last weekend when wind against tide conditions off the Kish bank threatened a local coastal rowing race.

Both All-Weather Lifeboats from Howth RNLI and Dun Laoghaire RNLI were tasked by Dublin Coastguard to assist five rowing skiffs just after 5pm according to Howth lifeboat.

Nine skiffs, each with 5 people onboard, participating in a rowing race which started from Dun Laoghaire and took them around the Kish lighthouse and back to Dun Laoghaire again. Due to the variable weather conditions and with there being quite choppy sea a number of the participants got into difficulty.

Howth lifeboat arrived on scene at 1741 and became On-Scene-Commander of the search and rescue operation.

They were joined shortly after by Dun Laoghaire's all weather lifeboat, rescue 116, Dublin Ports pilot boats 1 and 2 along with a yacht and fishing vessel.

A 'box' search was carried out one mile north and south of the Kish Lighthouse and all 5 skiffs and their crews were located and brought back to Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

On arrival the casualties were met by Dun Laoghaire coastguard unit and 2 HSE ambulances to treat a number of the casualties for hypothermia and one with a head injury.

#MISSING DIVER - Teams were still searching yesterday at a wreck site off Cape Clear for a diver missing since Tuesday, according to The Irish Times.

A Defence Forces spokesperson told the paper that a sonar device would be employed to scan the seabed for any sign of 54-year-old Reinhardt Teschke, who failed to resurface from a 90m dive on the wreck of British merchant vessel the Minnehaha.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, Baltimore RNLI launched both its inshore and all-weather lifeboats to the scene south of Balitmore Harbour in West Cork on Tuesday evening to search for the German diver, one of a party of three at the wreck site.

Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 115 and the Naval Service vessel LE Ciara were also involved in the surface search, which was set to be wound down yesterday.

#rnli – Joss succeeds Laura Roche as Press Officer at Howth Lifeboat station. Laura was a valued member of the team who volunteered as the busy lifeboat station's press officer for a number of years covering all types of rescues and fundraising events. She has now passed on the mantle to Joss. He has worked as a journalist and in Public Relations, and currently runs his own media consultancy business.

Joss explained his motivation for joining Howth RNLI, 'I come from a sailing background and the RNLI have been a huge part of the community in my hometown of Dunmore East. I have known people who were lost at sea and the RNLI is something I've wanted to be part of since I was a child growing up seeing the lifeboat moored in the middle of harbour every day'.

Joss has been a member of the lifeboat crew for over a year, and as such he is at the forefront of the action, 'When the beeper goes off my heart starts racing, the priority is to get to the lifeboat station, suit up and go. There's a great sense of fulfilment when you participate in a rescue, the casualty is always grateful to be brought home safely. You need to be fearless, dependable and outgoing to be a crewmember; I'd recommend it to anyone with the required skills and suitable mindset. The main sacrifice I make is giving up my spare time'.

When asked about his new role Joss responded, 'I am looking forward to the role, being a crew member you get all the relevant information first hand which makes it easier to portray each call out to the press. I have a passion for boats and the sea and there's nothing better than writing about something you love. Laura's work was flawless, she always knew the right questions to ask the crew post call out, and was to the highest standard so I'm going to have big shoes to fill'.

The Open Day at Howth Lifeboat Station is on Sunday 9 September between 2 and 5pm.

#rnli – Baltimore Lifeboat have resumed a search for a missing diver this morning at a wreck site south of Baltimore Harbour in West Cork.

Both the inshore lifeboat and all weather lifeboat were launched yesterday evening in response to a request from the coastguard to assist in locating a diver reported missing earlier in the afternoon.

The diver had been one of a party of three diving at a wreck site 12 miles south of Baltimore Harbour. The divers are reported by the RNLI to be of German and the dive site  the wreck of the Minnehaha.

Weather conditions were excellent with a 1.5 metre swell and force 3-4 winds. The Navy vessel LE Ciara, Coastguard Helicopter 115 and the Holly Joe were all involved in the search.

As darkness approached last night the inshore lifeboat (ILB) was stood down and returned to Baltimore at 21.10 approx. Onboard the B-class ILB Bessie, were Helm Youen Jacob, Shane MacSweeney and Ger O'Brien. On board the Tamar class ALB Alan Massey, were Coxswain Kieran Cotter, Cathal Cottrell (mechanic), John Rochford, Brian MacSweeney, Jerry Smith and Aidan Bushe.