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AfloatDigi 2018 CHMarine SafetySection

Search & Rescue, Water Safety - News from the Marine Safety Agencies
Lough Ree Lifeboat In Two Weekend Callouts To Grounded Cruisers
#RNLI - Lough Ree RNLI aided 10 people in two separate callouts over the weekend. The first call came just before 7pm on Saturday (12 July) following a report that two craft vessels had ran aground on the east shore…
91 Drowned in 2013, The Lowest Since 1936 Say Irish Water Safety
#safetyonthewater – Irish Water Safety (IWS) has appealed to the public to stay vigilant around water and not to become another drowning statistic. This appeal comes in the wake of IWS drowning statistics for 2013 which recorded 91 drownings, the…
Arklow Lifeboat Crew Boot World Cup Final To Assist Stricken Pleasure Craft
#RNLI - Arklow RNLI’s volunteers gave the World Cup final the boot last night (Sunday 13 July) to respond to a pleasure craft in difficulty with three people on board. Most of the lifeboat crew were settling down to watch the game…
Arranmore Lifeboat Rescues Two From Drifting Punt
#RNLI - Following last week's assisting of nine people in two separate yacht breakdown incidents, Arranmore RNLI were out again yesterday (10 July) to rescue a man and a woman from a 14ft punt off the Donegal coast. The volunteer…
EPIRB Product Safety Recall Issued By Standard Communications Pty Ltd
#epirb – The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport advises it has been informed that Standard Communications Pty Ltd, the manufacturer of GME EPIRBs, have issued a Product Safety Recall of the following affected EPIRB units: GME MT400/MT401/MT403 EPIRBs with…
ESB International Gathering Sound Data off Clare Coast
The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport has been advised that ESB International have deployed two C-POD hydrophone units, for the purpose of gathering sound data, off the West coast of Ireland, at Killard, Co. Clare. The C-POD hydrophone units are deployed…
Blackpool RNLI To Celebrate 150 Years Of Saving Lives At Sea
#RNLI - On 14 July our friends across the Irish Sea at Blackpool RNLI will celebrate 150 years of lifesaving. The station was established in 1864 – 40 years after the RNLI was founded – and has been operated by…
Portrush Lifeboat Rescues Kayakers Capsized By 'Freak Wave'
#Lifeboats - Portrush RNLI's all-weather lifeboat was launched on Saturday 5 July to reports of kayakers in difficulty at the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. Although the sun was shining and it seemed like a good day for kayaking, the weather conditions at…
Lough Ree Lifeboat Assists Seven In Two Weekend Callouts
#Lifeboats - Lough Ree RNLI assisted seven people whose vessels got into difficulty in two separate callouts over the weekend. The volunteer crew was first requested to launch their inshore lifeboat at 6.20pm on Saturday 5 July following a report…
Marine Notice: Geophysical Survey Off Cork Coast
#MarineNotice - The latest Marine Notice from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) advises that TE SubCom, on behalf of Hibernia Express, is scheduled to carry out a geophysical cable route survey extending south from Ballinspittle. The survey…
Arranmore Lifeboat Assists Two Yachts In Poor Weather
#RNLI - Arranmore RNLI in Donegal has assisted nine people after two yachts got into difficulty within five hours earlier this week. At 12.30pm on Wednesday 2 July, the volunteer lifeboat crew responded to a call for assistance from a…
New UK Figures Show 381 Water-Related Deaths In 2013
#WaterSafety - There were a total of 381 drownings and water-related deaths from accidents or natural causes across the United Kingdom in 2013, according to a report published this week by Britain's National Water Safety Forum (NWSF). As in previous…
Jedward Trapped By Tide On North Dublin Beach
#WaterSafety - Pop twins Jedward have urged their fans to stay safe near the water after they got themselves into a spot of bother trapped by the tide on a sandbank in North Co Dublin last night. As the Irish…
Wicklow RNLI Lifeboat Assists Four People in Difficulty at Silver Strand Beach In One Afternoon
#RNLI – Wicklow RNLI all weather and inshore lifeboats launched this afternoon (Wednesday 2 July 2014) to three incidents involving four people on Silver Strand beach in Wicklow. The alarm was raised initially for a woman who was spotted in…
Dunmore East Lifeboat Assists Vessel With Engine Failure
#RNLI - Dunmore East RNLI's volunteer lifeboat crew launched yesterday (Tuesday 1 July) to assist a 17ft vessel that suffered engine failure two miles south of the harbour. At 7:40pm the lifeboat launched at the request of the Irish Coast…
Busy Weekend For Wicklow Lifeboats
#RNLI - Wicklow RNLI's volunteers had a busy weekend answering three calls for assistance in a 24-hour period. The first callout was on Saturday afternoon (28 June) at the start of the Round Ireland Yacht Race in Wicklow Bay when…

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.