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Search & Rescue, Water Safety - News from the Marine Safety Agencies
Graphic Water Safety Ads Could Save Lives - Jim Higgins MEP
Drowning is frighteningly the second cause of death and injury for children in the EU, the primary causes are inability to swim and alcohol induced poor supervision of children - particularly on holidays. "We must remember that children can drown…
Concerns Over Belfast Coastguard Jobs
Concerns persist over the future for Northern Ireland’s coastguard service staff - despite the British government backing down from plans to close the Bangor search and rescue centre. http://afloat.ie/safety/coastguard/ http://afloat.ie/safety/rescue/ As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the Bregenz House station was…
Liverpool Coastguard Closure 'Will Put Safety at Risk'
A British MP has criticised plans to close Liverpool's coastguard station as 'dangerous'. http://afloat.ie/safety/coastguard/ The Liverpool command centre - which also covers the Irish Sea - is one of eight that face the axe under revised proposals to streamline Britain's…
Search Resumes for Missing Teen on Donegal Coast
Searching resumed at first light this morning for a teenager reported missing last night in Co Donegal. The 17-year-old, believed to be from Derry, was last seen by friends around 1:30am when their group went swimming in Lough Swilly at…
Bangor's Future 'A Victory for People Power'
The decision to keep open Northern Ireland's only dedicated search and rescue base is a victory for people power, says the Belfast Telegraph. http://www.afloat.ie/safety/rescue/ http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/viewpoint/people-power-keeps-coastguard-afloat-16023561.html As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the station at Bangor was saved from closure following a…
Lough Derg Lifeboat Tows Vessel to Safety
At 07.47hrs on Saturday morning, July 16, Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat, Toshiba Wave Warrior, went to the assistance of 4 persons on board a 29ft cruiser that had suffered engine failure, but which had dropped anchor to prevent being pushed…
Children Rescued From Co Down Waters
Four teenagers were rescued in Co Down last weekend when they were cut off by the tide, the News Letter reports. http://www.afloat.ie/safety/rescue/ http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/local/children_rescued_after_sea_dramas_1_2853172 The teens were caught up to their shoulders in water at Ardilea on Saturday evening when they…
Bangor Coastguard Centre Saved from the Chop
Northern Ireland's only dedicated search and rescue command centre has been saved from closure following a review of plans to streamline the UK's coastguard network. http://www.afloat.ie/safety/rescue/ http://www.afloat.ie/safety/coastguard/item/15940-decision-on-uk-coastguard-cuts-next-month/ BBC News reports that UK Transport Minister Phillip Hammond told the House of…
Drownings at Their Lowest in 58 years, Males account for 85% of Accidental drownings
Irish Water Safety has appealed to the public to stay vigilant around water in this warm weather and not to become another drowning statistic. This appeal targets all but more particularly those aged 45-65 who alarmingly accounted for 85% of…
RNLI Appeals for Donations to Ensure Its Survival
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has issued an appeal for funds to ensure its survival. http://www.afloat.ie/resources/organisations/rnli-ireland/ The volunteer crews from the RNLI go to sea hundreds of times a year to help those in danger off the Irish coast,…
Lifeboat Volunteer and Brother Rescue Six People off Donegal Coast after Boat Sinks
A volunteer lifeboat crewmember from Newcastle in County Down and his brother rescued two children and four adults from the freezing water after their boat sank off the coast of Donegal yesterday (Tuesday 12 July).  The two brothers, Richard and…
Five Rescued When Yacht Gets Tangled in Galway Bay
The Irish Examiner reports that three man have been rescued after their yacht got into difficulty near Furbo in Galway Bay this afternoon. http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/three-rescued-off-galway-coast-512236.html http://www.afloat.ie/port-news/galway-harbour/ Galway's RNLI lifeboat was dispatched to retrieve the men after their distress call to the…
Four Teenagers Rescued in Dundrum Bay
At 6.00 pm yesterday, Belfast Coastguard received a 999 call from one of a party of four teenagers who were cut off by the tide and were up to their shoulders in water close to Ardilea, while walking from Ballykinler…
Bangor Lifeboat Launches to Rescue Young Girl Stranded on Rocks
At 10.30pm last night, volunteer lifeboat crew received a request from Belfast Coastguard to launch the lifeboat to rescue a young girl who had become stranded on a rock ledge close to Groomsport. Belfast Coastguard received the initial call from…
Callouts from Threatened NI Coastguard Centre On the Rise
Search and rescue operations from Northern Ireland's only dedicated coastguard centre are on the increase, the Belfast Telegraph reports. http://www.afloat.ie/safety/coastguard/ http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/threatened-coastguard-base-sees-callouts-rise-16020068.html The latest figures show that there were 50 per cent more callouts to the Bangor-based centre last year than…
Lough Derg Lifeboat in Two Separate Call Outs for Engine Failures
On Saturday evening, July 2, Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat, Toshiba Wave Warrior, went to the assistance of two persons, when their vessel suffered engine failure and was drifting in the Urra Channel just outside Dromineer Bay. On Saturday July 2,…

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.