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AfloatDigi 2018 CHMarine SafetySection

Search & Rescue, Water Safety - News from the Marine Safety Agencies
RNLI volunteers unfurl flags at Croke Park on Sunday 9 July highlighting their water safety campaign Float to Live
RNLI volunteers across the island of Ireland took to the pitch during Sunday’s (9 July) All-Ireland senior hurling championship semi-final at Croke Park, to promote the charity’s water safety partnership with the GAA. Before the throw-in at the Clare vs…
Mike Swan (left), volunteer lifeboat operations manager with Galway RNLI presents a framed picture of the Aran Islands all-weather lifeboat David Kirkaldy with the Galway inshore lifeboat Binny to John O’Donnell who recently retired as coxswain with Aran Islands RNLI after 21 years
In recognition of the long career of RNLI coxswain John O’Donnell and the close relationship with the Aran Islands RNLI, last week the Galway RNLI crew presented a framed picture of the lifeboats from both stations to O’Donnell to mark…
Larne RNLI’s inshore lifeboat Terry answering Friday’s (7 July) call-out
Larne RNLI were requested to launch on Friday afternoon (7 July) to reports of a kayaker in the water at Portmuck. Both of Larne’s lifeboats launched after pagers sounded at 5.24pm and made their way towards the casualty’s last reported…
The Bundoran RNLI inshore lifeboat rescued two adults and four children on inflatable paddleboards
Bundoran RNLI aided six stand-up paddleboarders who got into difficulty off Rossnowlagh yesterday afternoon (Sunday, 9 July). Lifeboat crew Rory O’Connor, Shane O’Neill, Finn Mullen and Fergal Muller were carrying out a routine training exercise at approximately 12.30 pm when…
Galway Fire Brigade personnel at the Queen's Gap in Galway
A multi-agency group warns that lives of rescuers on Galway’s river Corrib are being put at risk by salmon and eel traps on a city stretch below the Salmon Weir. As The Sunday Independent report, Galway’s chief fire officer Gerry…
File image of Enniskillen RNLI’s inshore lifeboat on exercise on Lough Erne
Enniskillen RNLI volunteers launched their inshore lifeboat at 2pm on Monday (3 July), following a request from Belfast Coastguard to check a 17ft fishing boat reported to have all fishing equipment onboard and drifting close to Hare Island. Winds were…
Long-distance bikers Hugh Hanlon and Kevin Power visit the Lough Ree lifeboat station on their motorcycles
Local school groups, community associations, supporters of the charity and many donors have made the new boathouse at Lough Ree RNLI one of the emerging visitor attractions in the Midlands with last month been one of the busiest periods to…
Wicklow RNLI’s volunteer crew carrying out assessments in the harbour before they were diverted to assist the stricken yacht
While Wicklow RNLI's volunteer crew were undergoing assessments on Wednesday evening (5 July), they were requested by the Irish Coast Guard to go to the assistance of a 40ft yacht with five people onboard which had lost all power on…
Department of Transport logo
Users of recreational craft including canoes, kayaks, rowing boats, sailing craft and paddle boards are reminded of the importance of planning their voyage and avoiding dangerous weather and sea conditions. As the high summer period approaches, the Department of Transport…
Approximately 1.5 hours after the initial alert, the Dunmore East RNLI lifeboat arrived at the broken-down fishing vessel
The Dunmore East RNLI lifeboat crew responded to a call of a fishing vessel in distress on Wednesday evening (5th July). Having been notified by the Irish Coast Guard, the emergency pagers went off at 19:07, alerting the crew to…
Baltimore RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat with the refloated yacht under tow
Both Baltimore RNLI lifeboats were called out on Thursday morning (6 July) to assist a sailor whose yacht ran aground on rocks near Sherkin Island within Baltimore Harbour in West Cork. The volunteer lifeboat crew launched both their all-weather lifeboat…
Aran Islands RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat David Kirkaldy
Aran Islands RNLI responded to two medical evacuations on Wednesday evening (5 July). The volunteer crew of the all-weather Severn class lifeboat David Kirkaldy under coxswain Aonghus Ó hIarnáin were out training just before 7pm when they were requested to…
Castletownbere lifeboat with the 11m yacht they released from a lobster pot
Castletownbere RNLI lifeboat was launched this afternoon (Wednesday, 5 July 2023) to immediately assist two sailors whose yacht got into difficulty off the West Cork Coast. A UK couple had set out in their 11-metre yacht from Sneem in Co…
Fire engulfed the Nuevo San Juan on Sunday morning 2 July
Fifteen crew members from a Spanish hake trawler made landfall at Castletownbere hours after their vessel caught fire off the South West Coast at the weekend, as The Journal reports. The fishing crew were rescued from their lifeboats by another…
Kyle Marshall
Bangor RNLI volunteer Kyle Marshall is celebrating 40 years of service with the charity. Growing up in Bangor and spending his teenage years working around the harbour, Kyle always had a connection with the RNLI and the local volunteers. On…
Courtown RNLI Sea Sunday Family Day banner
Courtown RNLI’s fundraising committee is hosting a family fun day this Sunday 9 July on the North Pier in Courtown, Co Wexford. A blessing of the boats and a short ceremony recognising and remembering those who have lost their lives…

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.