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AfloatDigi 2018 CHMarine SafetySection

Search & Rescue, Water Safety - News from the Marine Safety Agencies
Red Bay RNLI Recovers Two people from Fair Head cliffs
#rnli – Red Bay RNLI lifeboat recovered two people from Fair Head cliffs after group of five people get into difficulty. Red Bay RNLI launched this afternoon at 4.14pm to a report of a group of people in difficulty on the…
Irish Water Safety Slams Inflatable Toys As 'Floating Killers'
#WaterSafety - Irish Water Safety has described cheap inflatable boats and rafts as "floating killers", as The Irish Times reports. Water safety chiefs have urged the public to avoid using such inflatables on open water following last month's rescue of…
Coast Guard Recover Boy from Welsh Cliffs
#coastguard – Just before 9pm last night Milford Haven Coastguard received a 999 emergency call reporting a 12–year old boy who had been cut off by the rising tide at Saundersfoot on the Welsh coast. The boy climbed up the…
Portrush Lifeboat Assists Dismasted Yacht
#RNLI - Portrush RNLI assisted the crew members of a yacht that lost its mast while out sailing on the River Bann this morning. The volunteer lifeboat crew were alerted by an observer and launched both the all-weather lifeboat and…
Spanish Fisherman Airlifted To Hospital in Coastguard Medivac
#Coastguard - Galway Bay FM reports that a man was airlifted by the coastguard from a Spanish fishing trawler off the Galway coast last night (5 August). The Irish Coast Guard's Shannon-based Rescue 115 helicopter was dispatched to the trawler…
RNLI Lifeboat Rescues Stranded Kayaker Off Youghal
#RNLI - Youghal RNLI launched yesterday afternoon (5 August) to a report of an object in the water off Redbarn Strand at Youghal - and picked up a stranded kayaker instead. The volunteer crew was requested to launch their inshore…
Bundoran RNLI Lifeboat Launched to RIB with Engine Failure  
#rnli – On Sunday evening (4th August 2013), Bundoran RNLI Lifeboat was launched to a rib which suffered engine failure off Inishmurray island. The rib with 2 people on board suffered engine failure and made contact with another vessel who…
Courtmacsherry RNLI Rescues Two In Early Morning Capsize
#RNLI - Two men were rescued in the early hours of this morning (Sunday 4 August) after their small boat got into difficulty off the pier at Courtmacsherry Harbour in West Cork. Fourteen crew of the Courtmacsherry RNLI all-weather lifeboat…
Crosshaven RNLI In Early Hours Search For Missing Person
#RNLI - The Crosshaven RNLI volunteer crew were paged in the early hours of Saturday 3 August to reports of a missing person separated from friends at Salve Marina near Cork Harbour. The lifeboat, with Alan Venner, Kieran Coniry and…
Concerns Over Staffing Levels At Belfast Coastguard
#Coastguard - The UK's Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has attempted to assuage concerns over Northern Ireland's only coastguard control centre as a major union accused the service of staffing shifts below safe levels. As the News Letter reports, this…
Safety on the Water Urged by RNLI This Bank Holiday Weekend
#rnli – As the August Bank Holiday weekend gets underway, the RNLI, the charity that saves lives at sea, is encouraging anyone thinking of using the water, to bear safety in mind. Whether the sun shines or the rain pours,…
Courtmacsherry RNLI Seek Memorabilia for Lusitania Centenary Exhibition
#lusitania – Courtmacsherry RNLI Lusitania Centenary Committee is appealing for artefacts, stories and memorabilia to be part of a major exhibition to commemorate the centenary of the sinking of the Lusitania off the Cork coast in 1915. They are also calling…
Baltimore RNLI Launches From New Station To Two Flare Sightings
#RNLI - Two red flare sighting in recent days prompted launches by the Baltimore RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew - the first from the new station at Bullpoint. On Saturday last (27 July) a red flare was reported after 8pm in…
Lifeguards Rescue 559 Swimmers During Heat Wave
#rescue – The CEO of Irish Water Safety, John leech is urging the public to use the Local Authority manned lifeguarded bathing places to ensure there are no more tragedies this summer. Take heed of advice given by the lifeguards and…
17 Canoeists Rescued on Lough Neagh
#rescue – A group of 17 people, including 14 children, involved in a canoeing trip have been rescued after they became stranded on Lough Neagh.Belfast Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) was first contacted just after 6.45pm this evening by one…
Enniskillen RNLI Revives Charity Swim While Bundoran Goes On The Air
#RNLI - Enniskillen RNLI will host the revived Castle Island charity swim and family fun morning in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh on Sunday 11 August. The swim traditionally took place each year with the support of the Blake family. And Enniskillen…

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.