Recreational craft and swimmers were the largest focus of Irish Coast Guard coordinated responses in 2022, an analysis shows.
As Afloat reported recently, figures released for 2022 show that the Irish Coast Guard co-ordinated responses to 2704 incidents last year.
This is the second highest number of incidents in five years, the agency says.
The recreational sector was most in need of help from the Irish Coast Guard and RNLI last year, as has been the trend in recent years.
There were 293 responses to incidents involving recreational vessels on both the Atlantic, Irish Sea and on inland waterways .
This includes yachts, motorboats, cabin cruisers, kayaks, rigid inflatable boats, punts and small inflatables.
Almost 500 incidents involved commercial vessels, and 117 of those were fishing vessels.
This included providing assistance for breakdowns at sea, and medical evacuations from vessels of all nationalities within the Irish exclusive economic zone.
The Irish Coast Guard says there were 57 incidents involving cargo/tankers/merchant vessels, while there were 27 incidents involving “other types”, as in passenger vessels.
August was the busiest month last year, reflecting the demand from leisure craft and users, with a 10% increase compared to 2021
The 44 Coast Guard units around the Republic’s coastline were mobilised on 1141 separate occasions in 2022.
Irish Coast Guard helicopters conducted 829 missions from the four bases run on contract by CHC Helicopters.
RNLI lifeboats were launched on 910 occasions last year, while community inshore rescue vessels launched for 96 incidents.
Critical assistance was provided to 559 people last year, it says.
The Irish Coast Guard is responsible for maritime search and rescue, maritime casualty and pollution preparedness and response.
Coast Guard staff and volunteers also assisted the Garda Síochána in open country search and mountain rescue.
Its staff and volunteers assisted Ireland’s National Ambulance Service in providing an air ambulance and helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) both inland and to the island communities.
Minister of State Jack Chambers, who held responsibility for the Irish Coast Guard, paid tribute to “all of the volunteers and staff for their professionalism and commitment”.
“I want to particularly recognise the work of the watch officers at rescue coordination centres in Malin, [Donegal], Valentia [Kerry] and MRCC Dublin, and Coast Guard support staff who, to their great credit, maintained an uninterrupted service throughout the Covid challenge,” he said.
The Coast Guard reiterated its core safety message, “Stay Afloat – Stay in Touch”, and highlighted the importance of never engaging in any commercial or recreational boating activity without wearing a life jacket or personal flotation device (PFD), coupled with a capacity to raise the alarm via means such as a VHF radio, personal locator beacon or EPIRB.
“This should be supported by informing shore-based colleagues of intended activity and anticipated return time. Mobile phones should not be considered as a suitable substitute or be relied upon as the only means of emergency communication at sea,” it said.