#RNLI - Kilrush RNLI launched twice on Tuesday 19 March to a reported flare or red smoke sighted off the coast on the River Shannon.
On both launches at 12.15pm and later at 9.27pm, both crews quickly assembled and set off to the locations along the river outlined by Valentia Coast Guard.
On the first callout, the volunteer lifeboat crew searched from Querrin Point to Cappa village following accounts from the public that a small aircraft had been seen aflame while on approach.
Shannon helicopter and crews from the Kilkee and Mallow coastguard who were involved with another incident in Ballybunnion, crossed the waters and joined in the search.
After two-and-a-half hours the search was stood down as the Aviation Department stated there were no aircrafts in the region. The conclusion thus far is that the object seen was a meteorite burning up in the atmosphere.
Shortly before 9.30pm, the inshore crew was paged again by Valentia Coast Guard to launch in response to members of the public who saw flares in the Kilrush area.
The lifeboat launched and after an hour was stood down as there was no evidence along the shore from Cappa to the Moneypoint area. The unit of the Kilkee Coast Guard also carried out an intense shore search.
Kilrush RNLI helm and volunteer lifeboat press officer Pauline Dunleavy praised the members of the public who put these calls into action, even though in this case they turned out to be false alarms.
"We would urge anyone who does see anything suspicious out on the water to dial 999 without delay," she said. "It could be the reason a life was saved."