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AfloatDigi 2018 CHMarine SafetySection

Search & Rescue, Water Safety - News from the Marine Safety Agencies
Castletownbere Lifeboat Transfers Injured Man from Bere Island to Bantry in Blizzard
Lifeboat crew with Castletownbere RNLI launched this afternoon (Tuesday 21 December 2010) at 3.30pm to transfer a man from Bere Island to Bantry in West Cork after he was injured in a fall.  The lifeboat crew had to step in…
Portrush Lifeboat Goes on Snow Patrol
A snow laden Portrush All weather Lifeboat 'The William Gordon Burr' makes a fine photographic subject during an exercise off the North Coast. Related Safety posts RNLI Lifeboats in Ireland Safety News Rescue News from RNLI Lifeboats in Ireland Coast…
NI Coastguard Centre Faces Scale Back, Possible Closure
The UK's shipping minister has announced proposals that would see a reduction in operational hours or even the closure of Northern Ireland's coastguard command centre. Earlier this week news emerged that the rescue command centre at Bangor was under threat…
World Leader in Offshore Simulation Partners with National Maritime College
SEFtec NMCI Offshore Ltd (SNO), a public / private joint venture between SEFtec Global Training Ltd and The National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI), will be launched tomorrow at the National Maritime College, Co. Cork, by the Minister of Enterprise,…
Single Handed Yachtsman Caught in Gale Calls for Assistance
Liverpool Coastguard have been coordinating assistance to a small yacht 'The Tern' since 3.00 am this morning at Whitehaven on the Irish Sea Coast. The yacht owner had been seeking permission to come into the harbour seeking a safe haven…
New World Class Coast Guard National Marine Operations Centre Opens
This morning Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey TD opened the new Irish Coast Guard National Marine Operations Centre in the Irish Coast Guard headquarters, Leeson Lane, Dublin 2. The Irish Coast Guard National Maritime Operations Centre houses Ireland’s Maritime Rescue…
Stornoway Helicopter Reports Busiest Year Ever
Scottish Coastguard rescue helicopter based in Stornoway has recorded its busiest ever year after clocking up in excess of 200 callouts in 2010. It is the first time the rescue helicopter team has reached the milestone figure for missions in any…
NI Coastguard Centre May Face Closure
Public spending cuts in the UK could see the closure of Northern Ireland's only coastguard rescue command centre, the News Letter reports. The coalition government is expected to announce phasing out of a number of the UK's 19 coastguard centres…
Dun Laoghaire Lifeboat Saves Woman after Fall from Pier
Dun Laoghaire RNLI inshore Lifeboat Realt na Mara launched this evening at 5.02pm to rescue a woman who had fallen into the harbour close by the East Pier lighthouse. It is believed the woman stumbled while walking along the popular…
Lifejackets 'Must Be Worn', Inquest Hears
The coroner for Galway West has urged all boat-users to wear lifejackets and put safety first on the water. Dr Ciarán McLaughlin spoke at the inquest into the death of experienced sailor Johnny Mac Donncha, who drowned after his Galway…
The hidden danger of ice could be lurking right underneath your feet and you won't know it until it's too late. Scientists say it takes several weeks of freezing temperatures in order for ice to be safe enough to walk on,…
Brothers Rory (37) and Eoin (36) O'Connor spent last night (Thursday 2 December 2010) in an igloo on Duncannon beach in county Wexford to raise funds for RNLI lifeboats. The pair went into the home-made igloo at 8pm last night and…
An attempt to rescue an injured crewman off the Co. Cork coast for the second time has proved successful according to a report today on RTE.ie The Shannon-based Coast Guard Helicopter reached the boat shortly before 2pm and succeeded in…
Tributes have been paid to one of the Irish Coast Guard's longest serving and most experienced air-sea rescue crew member, according to Lorna Siggins of The Irish Times. Noel Donnelly (55), who is retiring after more than 30 years' service,…
The family of a drowning victim are exploring the idea that seals could be utilised to recover bodies lost in rivers or at sea, The Clare People reports. Brian Mooney - father of 31-year-old Brecan Mooney, whose body was never…
At 17.05 pm last night Belfast Coastguard received a 999 call from an angler reporting that he was in difficulty.The man who is on holiday in the area was out angling on Lough Erne in his 2.4 metre open boat, 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.