Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

AfloatDigi 2018 CHMarine SafetySection

Search & Rescue, Water Safety - News from the Marine Safety Agencies
Commodore John Craddock with the winning Malahide Yacht Club team
The first All Ireland Nautical Table Quiz in aid of the RNLI took place last Friday evening in the Marine Hotel, Sutton in County Dublin. There was a great turn out, including a team from the Howth RNLI crew. The…
Howth RNLI community safety officer John McKenna with shore angler and accident survivor Colm Plunkett
#WaterSafety - Shore angler Colm Plunkett, who survived a near drowning incident last August, assisted the RNLI community safety team at the Ireland Angling 2016 show last weekend (20-21 February). Plunkett shared his experience with hundreds of fellow anglers and…
Wicklow and Arklow RNLI in action on the morning of Tuesday 23 February
#RNLI - Three RNLI lifeboats from Wicklow and Arklow launched after 5am on Tuesday morning (23 February) to assist a grounded fishing vessel with seven people onboard. The volunteer lifeboat crews quickly located the 20m fishing boat, which had run…
Marine Notice: Demersal Monkfish & Megrim Survey Off North Coast
#MarineNotice - The latest Marine Notice from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) advises that the Marine Institute is carrying out a monkfish and megrim trawl survey off the north of Ireland between Friday 26 February and Sunday…
The MFV Our Jenna's stern area from deck level, showing the removed bulwark
#MCIB - Unapproved modifications to a lobster boat may have contributed to the loss of a crewman off Donegal last summer, according to the official report into the incident. As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the man died after falling overboard…
Members of Fethard RNLI pictured with Colin Williams RNLI Divisional Operations Manager and Niamh McCutcheons RNLI Council Member for Ireland (front row second from right and right)
Friends and supporters of Fethard RNLI gathered together at the lifeboat station this weekend on the one hundred and second anniversary of the Mexico disaster, where nine lifeboat crew lost their lives off the Wexford coast, to launch an appeal…
The chart showing the estimated location of cable repairs in Dublin Bay
#MarineNotice - The latest Marine Notice from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport advises that Global Marine Systems Ltd has been contracted to undertake an emergency repair to the ESAT2 submarine fibre optic telecommunications cable in the Irish Sea…
Newcastle RNLI's Mersey class lifeboat breaking the waves off the Co Down coast
#RNLI - Newcastle RNLI had their third call of the week last night (Thursday 18 February) with volunteers involved in a three-hour search operation after flares were sighted off the Co Down coast. Newly appointed coxswain Alan Jones had the…
Portaferry RNLI's inshore lifeboat in action
#RNLI - The volunteer lifeboat crew at Portaferry RNLI launched yesterday evening (Thursday 18 February) to go to the aid of two men on board an angling boat experiencing engine problems off the Co Down coast. The volunteer crew of…
Dun Laoghaire, Howth and Skerries lifeboat crew at gala screening of The Finest Hours in Dundrum on Wednesday 17 February
#RNLI - Volunteer lifeboat crew from three RNLI stations in Dublin were in Dundrum on Wednesday evening (17 February) for the Irish gala screening of Disney's latest action film The Finest Hours. Volunteers Gerry Canning and Eoin Kelly from Skerries…
An exposed quayside and a runaway car poses real danger – see full video below
Not the best start to a day's sailing... A facebook video shows a car rolling over the edge of a Spanish quayside and a distressed driver in hot pursuit. The accompanying caption: 'If you park in a port: use your…
The dangers of winter storms and the risk posed by freak waves are illustrated on the beach of Porsguen near to Portsall in Western France when a retired couple are swept away this month. It is understood the couple survived the…
#RNLI - Galway's inshore lifeboat has had a €100,000 upgrade, as the Connacht Tribune reports. The Atlantic 85 RIB has been kitted out with some of the latest in lifesaving technology – and all of it was funded by public…
An aerial view of Skerryvore (Scotland's tallest) Lighthouse
Just after midnight (16 February) the UK Coastguard received a Mayday emergency call from a yacht which was in difficulties and had run aground near Skerryvore Light, near the Isle of Tiree off the west coast of Scotland. There was…
#RNLI - Newcastle RNLI rescued four people on Saturday night (13 February) after their angling boat got into difficulty off the Co Down coast. The volunteer crew were requested to launch their all-weather lifeboat at 7.30pm on Saturday following a…
#Coastguard - Dublin's Irish Coast Guard helicopter was involved in a rescue off the north-east of Ireland early this morning (Tuesday 16 February), as Independent.ie reports. Rescue 116 assisted Belfast Coastguard in the medevac of a fisherman who suffered head…

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.