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AfloatDigi 2018 CHMarine SafetySection

Search & Rescue, Water Safety - News from the Marine Safety Agencies
Crosshaven RNLI Rescues Four People from RIB Aground in Cork Harbour
#rnli – Crosshaven RNLI lifeboat was requested to launch to a 6m Rib (Rigid Rib) that had run aground last evening in Lough Mahon in Cork Harbour. Crosshaven lifeboat launched shortly after 10pm last evening after receiving reports that the RIB with…
Historic Anglo-Irish Events Reflects Special Shared 'Royal' Relationships
#ByRoyalAppointment - This week's historic first Irish state visit of President Michael D. Higgins to the United Kingdom, also saw the arrival of Royal Navy inshore fast patrol-boats of the First Patrol Squadron call to Dublin Bay ports within the…
New Lifeboat Pontoon Berth for Aran Islands will Mean Faster Launch Times
#rnli – RNLI lifeboat crew with Aran Islands RNLI will be able to launch their all weather Severn Class lifeboat faster following the installation of a 24 metre pontoon, which will enable the lifeboat crew to board the lifeboat from a…
Jet Skiers Spark Portush RNLI Call Out
#rnli – Portrush RNLI volunteer All Weather Lifeboat Crew got their first service of 2014 today, after receiving reports of two jet skiers in difficulties at Benone Beach near Magillian. The RNLI were alerted by a friend of the two…
Coast Guard Rescues Elderly Man Stuck in Soft Sand at Morecombe
#rescue – An elderly man with a walking aid was rescued from soft sand just 50 metres off the prom in Morecombe today after he sank up to his knees. At just before 11.30 this morning Liverpool Maritime Rescue Coordination…
Arklow Lifeboat Rescues Two From Sinking Yacht
#RNLI - Arklow RNLI's all-weather lifeboat Ger Tigchelaar was launched yesterday afternoon (Saturday 5 April) to a report of a sailing vessel in danger of sinking off the Wicklow coast. With challenging seas and with visibility deteriorating, the lifeboat proceeded…
Two Tourists Injured At Howth Cliffs
#Rescue - Two tourists have been rescued after falling from cliffs at Howth Head yesterday afternoon (Saturday 5 April). Howth Coast Guard Cliff Rescue volunteers immediately reported to the scene at Lion's Head after 5pm, where they found a teenage…
Marine Notice: Carriage of Nautical Publications in Digital Format
#MarineNotice - The latest Marine Notice from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) declares that the latest suite of Admiralty Digital Publications from the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office satisfies the carriage requirements for nautical publications on Irish ships…
Marine Notice: Hydrographic Survey Off Galway & Clare
#MarineNotice - The latest Marine Notice from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) advices that a hydrographic and geophysical survey operation will be undertaken by INFOMAR for the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) off the Clare coast…
Killybegs Coast Guard Station Opens with State-of-the-Art Facilities
#coastguard – Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar has opened the newly-built Coast Guard Station in Killybegs which provides the voluntary crew with top-class accommodation and training facilities. It's the third new Coast Guard building opened by Minister…
Marine Notice: Deployment Of Waverider Buoy On Corrib Gas Field
#MarineNotice - The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) has been advised that Shell E&P Ireland Limited will be deploying a Waverider buoy in early-to-mid April in order to help predict sea conditions for the Corrib P6 well intervention…
Campaign Launched to Save Historic Donaghadee 'Sir Samuel Kelly' Lifeboat
A major fund-raising campaign will be launched (April 2, 2014) to save a famous lifeboat which rescued survivors from the Princess Victoria in 1953 and the Fastnet yacht race disaster in 1979. It's the second lifeboat with Irish connections to…
Search For Missing Man As Two Recovered From Lough Ree
#Search - RTÉ News reports on an ongoing search and rescue operation on Lough Ree this evening (20 March) as two men have been recovered from the water as RNLI lifeboat and Air Corps teams look for a third. It's believed…
Arklow Lifeboat Volunteers Scoop Top Prize In Local Paddy's Day Parade
#RNLI - Arklow RNLI’s dedicated volunteers were delighted to be awarded the top prize at this year's St Patrick's Day Parade in Arklow. This year saw the highest number of parade entries for the Co Wicklow town, including three floats…
Merchant Navy Association Boat Club Launches 'Eyes that can save Lives' Watchkeepers  Scheme
#rescue – The Merchant Navy Association Boat Club launches its new "SeaVue" Watchkeepers Afloat Scheme "Eyes that can save Lives" The SeaVue Watchkeeper Afloat Scheme is modelled on similar lines to the National Coastwatch Institution's "Eyes along the Coast" watchkeeping service operating from…
Volunteers Needed for RNLI's Mayday
#rnli – The RNLI is issuing its own call for help, appealing for volunteers to help with 'Mayday' – the charity's forthcoming national fundraising event in Ireland – which will be taking place from 1–5 May this year. The charity…

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.