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AfloatDigi 2018 CHMarine SafetySection

Search & Rescue, Water Safety - News from the Marine Safety Agencies
Howth RNLI Re-Float Yacht At Malahide Estuary Entrance
#rnli – Howth RNLI launched both the All Weather Lifeboat and Inshore Lifeboat yesterday to reports of a sailing yacht with two men and two women aboard aground at the entrance to Malahide estuary.The all weather lifeboat was on scene…
Portrush Lifeboats Launched To Dinghy In Difficulty, Overturned Catamaran
#RNLI - Portrush RNLI's inshore lifeboat was launched yesterday (Sunday 2 August) to reports of a dinghy in difficulty at Portballintrae in Co Antrim. Conditions were good, with a stiff offshore wind and a relatively calm sea. The inshore lifeboat crew quickly…
Portaferry Lifeboat Rescues Three After Boat Capsize
#RNLI - Three young adults had a lucky escape last night (Sunday 2 August) after their boat capsized off Calf Island at the northern end of Strangford Lough. The three had been out on an 11ft Dory when it broke…
Newcastle RNLI Launches in the Early Hours to Sinking Fishing Vessel off Ardglass
#lifeboat – Lifeboat crew at Newcastle RNLI were called out in the early hours of this morning Wednesday (29July) after a MAYDAY call was received from a fishing boat that was believed to have been involved in a collision with…
Portrush, Arranmore Lifeboats Tow Fishing Boats To Safety In Separate Callouts
#RNLI - RNLI lifeboats from Portrush in north Antrim and Arranmore in Donegal were launched yesterday evening (Tuesday 28 July) on separate callouts to assist fishing boats in difficult. The Portrush all-weather lifeboat was launched at 6pm to reports of…
Rosslare RNLI Launched After Large Yacht Becomes Entangled in Lobster Pots
#rnli – Lifeboat crew with Rosslare RNLI launched yesterday afternoon  to a 42ft yacht with two people onboard after the vessel became entangled in lobster pots close to Carnsore Point. Conditions this afternoon were described as showery with a south…
Clifden Lifeboats Responds To Two Callouts In Quick Succession
#RNLI - Clifden RNLI was busy at the weekend with two callouts in quick succession in the early hours of Sunday morning (26 July). The volunteer lifeboat crew was first alerted at midnight to a 29ft yacht reported adrift in…
Lough Derg Lifeboat Takes Cruiser Off Rocks
#loughderglifeboat – Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat launched to assist eight people on board a 38ft cruiser aground near Dromane on the County Clare shore At 11.35am today, July 26, Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat launched following a request from Valentia Coast…
Wicklow Lifeboats Aids Swedish Yacht With Fouled Propellor
#RNLI - Following Thursday's callout to a yacht with engine trouble off Greystones, Wicklow RNLI's all-weather lifeboat launched at 3.45pm yesterday afternoon (Friday 24 July) to a Swedish registered yacht with a rope-fouled propeller, 10 miles north-east of Wicklow Harbour.…
Lough Ree Lifeboat Assists Family Of Four After Vessel Runs Aground
#RNLI - Volunteers from Lough Ree RNLI assisted a family of four last week after the cruiser they were in ran aground. The crew was requested to launch their inshore lifeboat at 11.30am on Thursday 16 July following a report that…
Larne RNLI Welcome new D–Class Lifeboat Terry on Station
#rnli – Lifeboat crew with Larne RNLI took their new D class lifeboat out on its first exercise to Brown's Bay last night (Thursday 23 July) following its arrival at the station. The lifeboat is to be named Terry and…
Wicklow Lifeboat Tows Yacht With Engine Trouble To Greystones
#RNLI - Wicklow RNLI's all-weather lifeboat launched at 6.40pm yesterday evening (Thursday 23 July) to assist a yacht with mechanical problems. The 34ft English-registered yacht was on its way to Greystones at the time when the engine began overheating, requiring…
Coastguard Recover Body Of Cliff Faller Off Clare Coast
#Coastguard - The body of a man seen falling from the Cliffs of Moher has been recovered off Co Clare, as the Irish Examiner reports. Air and sea coastguard teams from Sligo and Doolin located the body of the man soon…
RNLI Lifeguards Treat Teenager After He Collapses on Whiterocks Beach
#RNLI – RNLI lifeguards in Portrush have treated a teenage boy who collapsed on Whiterocks Beach this afternoon (Tuesday 21 July). At approximately 3.25pm, Senior Lifeguard Jamie Russell was on quad patrol of the beach when he observed one of…
Coastguard Rescues Howth Head Cliff Faller, Swimming Teens In Kerry
#Coastguard - The Irish Coast Guard were involved in two rescues on opposite sides of the country yesterday (Saturday 18 July), coming to the aid of a woman who fell from cliffs on Howth Head and two teens who got…
RNLI Lifeguards Rescue Kitesurfer On Benone Strand
#Rescue - RNLI lifeguards came to the rescue of a kitesurfer who got into difficulty on Benone Strand yesterday morning (Saturday 18 July). At 11.40am, senior lifeguard Liam Mullan and lifeguard Beth Montgomery were monitoring the beach from the RNLI…

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.