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AfloatDigi 2018 CHMarine SafetySection

Search & Rescue, Water Safety - News from the Marine Safety Agencies
Cliff-Jumper Saved From Drowning By Passing Lifeboat Volunteer
#WaterSafety - Dangerous cliff-jumping is putting lives at risk says one lifeboat volunteer after he rescued a young woman from drowning. According to the Sunday Independent, off-duty Dun Laoghaire RNLI man Wayne Farrell spotted the woman unconscious in the water…
#WaterSafety - There's never a good reason to go out on the water without a lifejacket. But as TheJournal.ie reports, the Irish Coast Guard still hears plenty of excuses. Chief among them is the old chestnut, "I have lifejackets on…
Union Hall Lifeboat In Late Night Search After Flare Sighting
#RNLI - Union Hall RNLI's volunteer lifeboat crew launched last night (Thursday 13 August) after a member of the public reported a flare in the West Galley Head area and raised the alarm. Valentia Coast Guard tasked Union Hall RNLI…
Skerries Lifeboat Tows Yacht To Safety After Engine Failure
#RNLI - Skerries RNLI towed a yacht with two men on board to safety on Sunday evening (9 August) after the vessel suffered engine failure. At 7.30pm Skerries RNLI were tasked by Dublin Coast Guard to assist the small yacht…
Dramatic Day On Causeway Coast As Lifeguard Rescues Boy From Rip Current
#Rescue - Downhill beach lifeguard Ray Cunningham has been hailed a hero after racing to the rescue of an eight-year-old bodyboarder caught in a rip current off the Causeway Coast yesterday (Tuesday 11 August). Cunningham was on patrol when he…
Howth Lifeboat Launches To Seasick Solo Sailor
#RNLI - Howth RNLI volunteers launched their all-weather lifeboat on Sunday (9 August) to assist a 23ft sailing boat when its lone occupant became violently seasick and incapacitated. The lifeboat was launched at 8.15pm and located the casualty vessel just…
Portrush Lifeboat & Portstewart Lifeguards Assist Jetski Casualty
#RNLI - Portrush RNLI and lifeguards at Portstewart Strand worked together yesterday (Sunday 9 August) to help a person who got into difficulty on a jetski. Portstewart lifeguards were first called to assist the jetski but because of the large…
Medal Haul For Irish Lifesavers At Euro Champs
#lifesaving – Ireland's top Lifeguards have won 18 medals in Wales at the European Lifesaving Championships. Ireland have never won so many medals at and International event before. Medal Winners were:Bernard Cahill from Clare won Gold in the Surf Swim…
Bundoran RNLI Assist Body Boarder in Difficulty
#rnli – The crew of Bundoran RNLI lifeboat were called out on Sunday evening (9 August 2015) to a body boarder in difficulty at Rossnowlagh Beach. Following a 999 call to Malin Head Coast Guard, the crew were paged just…
Dismasted Yacht Rescued By Courtmacsherry Lifeboat
#rnli – The Courtmacsherry RNLI All Weather Lifeboat was called out at 3pm this afternoon (Sat) to go to the aid of a 35–ft Yacht named Silver Breeze that was dismasted in strong winds and got into difficulties just one mile…
Boater Alerts Coastguard By Flare After Double Engine Failure
#Coastguard - The Irish Examiner reports on the coastguard rescue of a boater whose RIB suffered a double engine failure off the Clare coast yesterday (Friday 7 August). Volunteers from Doolin Coast Guard launched to the 18ft boat, which was…
Boater Rescued In Clew Bay After Close Call With Runaway RIB
#Rescue - Rescue teams raced to Clew Bay yesterday evening (Thursday 6 August) after a man was struck by the propeller of his runaway boat. A number of witnesses called emergency services after seeing the unmanned RIB speeding in tight…
Marine Notice: Survey, Rock Placement On Corrib Gas Pipeline
#MarineNotice - Mariners on the west coast are advised of latest round of works on the Corrib Gas Pipeline. Phase 1 of the annual pipeline and umbilical survey was scheduled to begin between last week and early this month, and…
Hidden Flooding Led To Capsize That Killed Two Anglers On Lough Ree - MCIB
#MCIB - Unnoticed flooding of their boat caused a trio of anglers from Portadown to go overboard near Hodson Bay on the Shannon Navigation last year, taking two lives. That's according to the report into the incident by the Marine…
Busy Bank Holiday Weekend For Skerries RNLI
#RNLI - Skerries RNLI was busy over the Bank Holiday weekend with callouts on Saturday 1 and Monday 3 August - plus a visit to Rush for the annual blessing of the boat in between. Shortly after midnight on Saturday,…
Arklow Lifeboat Assists Four On Drifting Vessel During Maritime Festival
#RNLI - Arklow RNLI assisted four people after their vessel suffered engine failure on Sunday (2 August) during the Wicklow town's maritime festival. Pagers sounded during the busiest part of the Arklow Maritime Festival and just prior to a rescue exercise…

Every Year Ireland's Search & Rescue Services deliver emergency life saving work on our seas, lakes and rivers.

Ireland's Water Safety Agencies work hard to provide us with the information we need to keep safe, while enjoying all manner of water based activities.

There's no better fun than getting out on the water but being afloat is a responsibility we all need to take seriously.

These pages detail the work of the rescue agencies. We also aim to promote safety standards among pleasure boaters, and by doing so, prevent, as far as possible, the loss of life at sea and on inland waters. If you have ideas for our pages we'd love to hear from you. Please email us at [email protected]

Think Before You Sink - Wear a Lifejacket

Accidents can happen fast on water and there may not be time to reach for a lifejacket in an emergency therefore don't just carry a lifejacket - wear it; if it's not on you, it can't save your life.

Irish Water Safety's Safe Boating Alert:

Check condition of boat and equipment, hull, engine, fuel, tools, torch.

Check the weather forecast for the area.

Check locally concerning dangerous currents and strong tides.

Do not drink alcohol while setting out or during your trip.

Carry an alternative means of propulsion e.g. sails and oars or motor and oars.

Carry a first aid kit on board and distress signals (at least two parachute distress rockets, two red hand flares).

Carry a fire extinguisher, a hand bailer or bucket with lanyard and an anchor with rope attached.

Carry marine radio or some means of communication with shore.

Do not overload the boat - this will make it unstable.

Do not set out unless accompanied by an experienced person.

Leave details of your planned trip with someone ashore - including departure and arrival times, description of boat, names of persons on board, etc.

Wear a Lifejacket at all times.

Keep an eye on the weather - seek shelter in good time.

In Marine Emergencies, call 999 or 112 and ask for Marine Rescue.

Lifejackets Checklist

Ensure Cartridges have not been punctured and are secured firmly.

Ensure all zips, buckles, fasteners and webbing straps are functioning correctly and adjusted to fit the user.

Check that fitted lights are operating correctly.

Ensure that Automatic Inflation devices are fully serviced and in date.

Check that the valve or lifejacket is not leaking.