#RNLI - Holyhead RNLI lifeboat volunteers' training turned into a real-life rescue last night after distress calls were heard from a boat carrying three men a baby in the Irish Sea.

At 6pm crew members were at the lifeboat station training when they heard a call for help over the VHF radio. They immediately raised the alarm by calling Holyhead Coastguard, who requested the launch of Holyhead RNLI's inshore lifeboat and asked the station's all weather lifeboat to be on standby.

The inshore lifeboat and its volunteer crew made their way to the Bolivar buoy near Carmel Head, where the 33ft Fairline motor vessel was at anchor and stuck fast.

On arrival, they called for the all-weather lifeboat to assist and Holyhead RNLI's Severn-class lifeboat made her way the scene.

After attempts to free the casualty vessel’s anchor, the anchor warp was severed by crew members to get the casualty vessel moving again, and a buoy was left as a marker before the vessel was towed to safety and delivered to Holyhead Marina.

There were four people on board the boat: three adults and a very young baby. All were unharmed.

Holyhead RNLI coxswain Brian Thomson said: "This call-out emphasised the importance of going to sea prepared – wearing correct lifejackets, having proper flares and safety equipment, knowing the waters into which you are going and knowing how to correctly use VHF radio."

#RNLI - Lifeboats from Bangor, Donaghadee and Larne were launched last night (Tuesday 27 October) as part of a major operation after a flight out of Belfast declared an emergency.

Police, fire and ambulance crews were also involved in the cross-agency response to the British Airways flight from Belfast City Airport to Heathrow, with 108 passengers aboard, which diverted to Belfast International Airport shortly after take-off as the pilot declared an emergency.

The RNLI lifeboats were on the water within 10 minutes of receiving a request from HM Coastguard and proceeded to positions which are part of a practiced air emergency plan.

Thankfully the services of the volunteer crews were not required and the lifeboats returned to station within the hour.

Alan Whiteside, operations director at Belfast International Airport, said: "Everything went smoothly, our own police and fire service on site here responded, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, the PSNI, the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service all attended as a routine.

"But nobody was required to take any other action - the aircraft landed safely, thankfully."

#RNLI - Rosslare Harbour RNLI's volunteer lifeboat crew participating in an exercise on Sunday morning (25 October) in Rosslare Bay were diverted to a fishing vessel with an injured crewman on board.

The fishing boat was a mile northeast of Rosslare Europort when the lifeboat station was alerted at 10.30am.

First aid was given by the volunteer crew who assisted the injured fisherman on board the lifeboat, which promptly returned to station to transfer the casualty to a waiting ambulance.

Conditions at the time of the callout were good, with light westerly winds and morning sunshine.

Commenting on the callout, Rosslare RNLI volunteer lifeboat press officer Jamie Ryan said: "The RNLI volunteers were very swift in transferring the casualty to shore as they were already at sea on exercise."

Two people were rescued by RNLI lifeboats on Dublin Bay last night in near gale conditions. The rescue at Dun Laoghaire last night happened after the boat they were on became snagged on lobster pots 50 metres from the East Pier. The National Yacht Club reported its launch missing from the East Pier last night around the same time.

The incident occurred around 10.30pm when they called for help by mobile phone. The Irish Coast Guard Marine Rescue Co-Ordination Centre (MRCC Dublin) requested that the RNLI Inshore lifeboat (ILB) launch followed by the All-Weather lifeboat. The Dun Laoghaire Coast Guard Unit carried out searches along the shoreline at the East Pier where a heavy swell was building. Conditions were South-South East Force 6-7 (Near Gale force) with wind against tide sea state building.

The 20-foot motor launch had become snagged in lobster pots on the Scotsman’s Bay side of the East Pier. The three-man ILB crew transferred the two casualties to the larger lifeboat that brought them to shore where the Coast Guard unit was waiting. Both were unhurt in the incident.

The lifeboats then brought an anchor and tackle out to the vessel in an attempt to keep it in position until today’s forecast gale abates.

“This was a happy ending for what could easily have become a tragedy on a dark and windy night,” commented Robert Fowler, Deputy Launching Authority (DLA) at RNLI Dun Laoghaire. “Our volunteer crew launched within eight minutes of the alert and were with the casualties very quickly in spite of the sea conditions. The role of the RNLI is purely life-saving and the close co-operation with our Irish Coast Guard colleagues meant that two people were in safe hands within 20 minutes of their distress call.”

The motor launch is still at anchor close to the East Pier this afternoon but it could be Tuesday morning before attempts can be made to safely recover it.

Read our UPDATE to this story here

#RNLI - Enniskillen RNLI is looking for new volunteer crew members to join its search and rescue service on both Upper and Lower Lough Erne in Co Fermanagh.

The lifeboat station currently has 40 volunteers to cover its inshore service on the Lower Lough at Killadeas and the Upper Lough at Carrybridge but is now calling on new volunteers to come forward and find out how they can get involved and help the station to continue to save lives on inland waterways.

And to that end, the station will be hosting an open evening at the new lifeboat station at Carrybridge next Thursday 29 October for all interested candidates to learn more.

Enniskillen RNLI was established in May 2001 and became the charity’s first inland lifeboat station. Today, a great team spirit between Enniskillen’s management, crew and committee members creates an efficient and professional service on the Lough Erne waterway, which works closely with other emergency services to keep water users safe.

Last year, Enniskillen RNLI launched 59 times and brought 57 people to safety.

Now, Jimmy Dundas, Enniskillen RNLI lifeboat operations manager on Lower Lough Erne, is calling on any volunteers who may be interested to come along to the station on Thursday evening and find out more.

"We are looking for anyone aged 17 years and over who is willing to offer some of their free time to join what I believe to be, one of the most exhilarating and rewarding voluntary services that is out there," he says.

"Every volunteer receives first class training from the RNLI and learns new skills which can benefit them in many walks of life. Lifeboat crew members need to have a reasonable level of fitness, have good eyesight and not be colour blind.

"Anyone who would like to volunteer but feels they would not meet the requirements for lifeboat crew should in no way be put off, as shore crew also play an essential role in the launch and recovery of the lifeboat when it goes on service."

Anyone who feels they have the time and commitment to volunteer for the charity, which is on call 24 hours a day and 365 days a year, is asked to email Jimmy at [email protected].

Alternatively, prospective volunteers can come along to the station’s open evening from 7pm on Thursday 29 October at Carrybridge lifeboat station.

#RNLI - Organisers of the Athlone River Festival and Food Village have presented a cheque for €850 to Lough Ree RNLI.

The Athlone River Festival & Food Village took place on 12-13 September and included myriad activities showcasing Athlone’s culinary, entertainment and leisure amenities.

The event was a huge success, with over 4,000 people attending the revival of the festival, last held 20 years ago.

Lough Ree RNLI and Athlone SubAqua took part in the event with a river rescue demonstration, and Lough Ree volunteer crew members also built a raft, which they entered in the raft race.

The ‘Oysters, Guinness & Jazz’ installation, sponsored by John O’Sullivan (Hodson Bay Group) and Alan McCabe (Guinness), set a celebratory tone for the event and raised €850 for the lifeboat, which they presented to the crew at the quay wall beside Sean’s Bar on 6 October.

Lough Ree RNLI relies entirely on charitable donations to meet its running costs. Damien Delaney, Lough Ree RNLI lifeboat operations manager, said: "It’s good supporters like John, Alan and the local community that enable the lifeboat crews to respond to calls when they are needed, and we are grateful for their generous support."

Lough Ree RNLI is also holding a Halloween Party and Open Day on Saturday 31 October from 12 noon to 3.30pm. Wear your costume and join the lifeboat crew for some Halloween fun and games for all at Coosan Point.

For more visit the Lough Ree RNLI Facebook page HERE.

As part of an effort to find the source of a Mayday call off Cork Harbour today, owners of boats named ‘Bluebird’ around Ireland have been contacted by the Coastguard.

No yacht has been found after a major six-hour search effort off Cork Harbour and the Cork coast this morning.

The search and rescue operation got underway at 9.25am when the Valentia Coast Guard was called with a report of a yacht in trouble.

Contact was received over VHF radio that a 32–foot yacht called ‘Bluebird’ was experiencing engine trouble and sinking around one mile south of Roche’s Point.

The Coast Guard sent out three boats inlcuding local RNLI Lifeboats and two rescue helicopters, accompanied by naval boats and a number of local vessels. The search continued for six hours, concluding at around 3pm.

An area stretching from Waterford down to Galley Head in Cork was searched, with a 6 km square area near to where the yacht was believed to be covered.

Investigations are underway to discover the source of the distress call.

It has been suggested by someone involved in the search operation that it may have been a hoax call, although a spokesperson for Valentia Coast Guard has said that there is nothing to confirm this.

A hoax call to the service over VHF radio would be considered unusual.

The UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency has been involved in the effort, and is checking with ‘Bluebird’ boat owners in the United Kingdom.

No further search is taking place at this time, although a warning has gone out to boats in the area to alert the Coast Guard if they spot anything in the area.

#RNLI - Union Hall RNLI was paged at 6.31am this morning (Thursday 15 October) to reports of a flashing strobe light south of Rabbit Island at the entrance to Glandore Harbour.

Union Hall’s inshore lifeboat Maritime Nation launched at 06.39 am to investigate after two reported sightings of a flashing light in the water, one from a member of the public and another from a member of Glandore/Toe Head Coast Guard.

On inspecting the scene, the flashing light was spotted, and turned out to be an EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon).

The volunteer crew then commenced a search of the water surrounding the area. They found nothing else and returned to the lifeboat station with the EPIRB.

"You can never be too careful even at this time of year," said Jim Moloney, Union Hall RNLI deputy launch authority. "The member of the public was correct to report this sighting and no time was wasted in getting a search of the area."

HRH The Duke of Kent officially opened the RNLI’s first permanent inland lifeboat station at Carrybridge this afternoon. 

The lifeboat station has been fully operational on Upper Lough Erne in County Fermanagh since March this year.

Officially declaring the lifeboat station open following a Service of Dedication, HRH The Duke of Kent paid tribute to the 40 volunteers at Enniskillen RNLI. He said it was always a pleasure to talk with those who give up their time to support lifesaving rescues and to those who carry them out.

‘They do it because they are courageous, selfless, trustworthy and reliable – they embody the values of the RNLI,’ he said. ‘They give freely and expect little in return.
Their actions serve as a heart-warming reminder that, today, there are people of all ages and backgrounds that are willing to make personal sacrifices in the name of saving lives. So I would like to thank all of the volunteers here, and their supportive families, for everything they do to support the RNLI’s lifesaving mission.’

The opening of the new boathouse comes 13 years after the station was first established on Upper Lough Erne. During those years the volunteer lifeboat crew was housed in temporary accommodation.

Tom Bailey, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Carrybridge said he was proud and pleased to accept the lifeboat station on behalf of the crew and station personnel:

‘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 here at Carrybridge that would work in conjunction with the original lifeboat station on the Lower Lough at Killadeas. 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 59 times bringing 57 people to safety. Some 32 of those services were carried out in the dark while the crew spent 262 service hours on the water.’

When the RNLI was actively seeking a location for a new lifeboat station at Carrybridge, the late George Johnston kindly donated a site on his farmland which fronted the River Erne. He was remembered in the ceremony by Archie Birrell, chair of the Lough Erne Fundraising Branch: ‘None of this would have been possible without the generous donation of the very land that this station stands on, and for this we are incredibly thankful to the late George Johnston whose generosity has made all of this possible.’

The donation was gratefully accepted by the RNLI which then proceeded with the assistance of Mr Johnston’s children George and Anna who attended the opening ceremony, to obtain full planning permission to build the new station.

The build which took little over a year to complete was carried out by Omagh based Woodvale Construction and handed over to the RNLI on the 25 March.
In order to facilitate the project, the local community helped the charity raise £60,000 towards the cost.

The building is constructed with rendered blockwork walls, a zinc roof and Iroko timber main doors. It has been designed to complement the local architectural vernacular, with precedence being taken from the rural and agricultural structures which typify this area of County Fermanagh.

While traditional in appearance, the building includes some of the latest environmentally friendly technologies, including a ground source heat pump to provide low-carbon heat to the building as well as solar photo-voltaic panels which generate a portion of the building’s electrical demand. The lifeboat station is the RNLI’s first specially built inland waterways buildings and is something of a trailblazer in certain areas including background heating within the boathall itself to prevent vital fluids on the lifeboat freezing during cold winter periods.

The modern lifeboat station is located close to the lough to allow for an efficient launch of the inshore lifeboat and rescue water craft. It also houses the associated launching tractor and equipment, full crew changing facilities, a workshop, office and training room.

The Very Reverend Kenneth Hall, Dean of St Macartin’s Cathedral, Reverend TH Samuel McGuffin, Lakelands District Superintendent, Methodist Church in Ireland and The Right Reverend Monsignor Peter O’Reilly, St Michael’s Church, Enniskillen, led the Service of Dedication.

Among the platform party were Anna and George Johnston who handed over the boathouse into the care of the RNLI, David Delamer, Chairman of the RNLI Council for Ireland who accepted the lifeboat station on behalf of the RNLI, Tom Bailey, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Carrybridge who accepted the new building on behalf of Enniskillen RNLI and HRH The Duke of Kent who officially opened the lifeboat station. The platform party also included Sam McCreery, President of Enniskillen RNLI who opened proceedings, Archie Birrell, Chairman of the Lough Erne Fundraising Group, and Darren Byers, RNLI Divisional Operations Manager for Northern Ireland.

#RNLI - The volunteer crew of Kinsale RNLI launched at 1.20pm on Sunday last (4 October) to assist a swimmer who got into difficulties in the water around Sandycove Island.

Valentia Coast Guard requested the crew to launch their inshore lifeboat after walkers reported a person in difficulty in rough seas. He was quickly brought to safety, assisted by another swimmer and members of the public.

The swimmer said he had been alone but two pairs of shoes were found on the slipway, leading to fears that a second person may be in the water.

Gardaí, the Old Head Coast Guard shore unit and Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 115 joined the search but no further casualties were found.

Speaking following the callout, Kinsale RNLI lifeboat operations manager John O'Gorman said: "Thankfully this swimmer was helped ashore and made a full recovery but we would urge everyone to pay particular attention to the RNLI's Respect the Water campaign.

"Irish waters are dangerously unpredictable, especially at this time of year. There are over 200 coastal drownings every year. The RNLI aims to halve that number by 2024 and the RNLI’s Respect the Water campaign will play a key role in achieving this.

"We still want you to enjoy the water, but we also want you to respect the water, acknowledge its dangers and never underestimate its power."

The RNLI urges anyone going on or in the water to let someone know where they are and when they will be back, and to carry a form of communication if at all possible.

If you do see someone in trouble, please do not enter the water to assist unless you are a trained lifesaver. Always dial 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.