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AfloatDigi 2018 CHMarine SafetySection

Search & Rescue, Water Safety - News from the Marine Safety Agencies
Rosslare Harbour's all-weather lifeboat
#RNLI - Rosslare Harbour RNLI volunteers launched their all-weather lifeboat in the early hours of this morning (Friday 28 April) following a call for help from a yacht with two men onboard off Tuskar Rock. The 15m yacht broke its…
Of the 131 lifejackets checked, only 21% were found to be completely fault free at an RNLI safety check in Dun Laoghaire
Dun Laoghaire RNLI is making a timely warning this Bank Holiday weekend to all lifejacket owners to ensure the appropriate safety checks are carried out by a competent agent ahead of the main boating season. The safety appeal comes following…
Bangor RNLI's inshore lifeboat Jessie Hillyard
#RNLI - Bangor RNLI’s volunteers launched the inshore lifeboat Jessie Hillyard yesterday evening (Monday 24 April) to reports of a missing three-year-old in the vicinity of the Jamaica Inn. Setting off in big breaking seas and a Force 8 gusting…
The 1925 ketch with three onboard was on passage from Scotland to the south coast of England when it got stranded on a sand bank in the mouth to Wexford Harbour.
A 39ft–wooden yacht with three people onboard was brought to safety by Wexford and Rosslare Harbour RNLI in County Wexford yesterday evening. Volunteer lifeboat crew from both stations were requested to launch just before 7.30pm following a report that a…
The large-scale dive search follows a ‘360-degree’ terrain survey of the island off Co Mayo
#Rescue116 - More than 100 divers have joined a major search since early this morning (Saturday 22 April) for Paul Ormsby and Ciaran Smith, the two Irish Coast Guard crew members still missing after the Rescue 116 tragedy over a…
Union Hall RNLI’s inshore lifeboat
#RNLI - It’s shaping up to be the start of a busy season for the volunteer lifeboat crew at Union Hall RNLI with two callouts in less than two weeks. On Saturday 8 April, the inshore lifeboat launched at 12.14pm…
Ballycotton’s inshore lifeboat with Paudie the dog after his rescue from the cliff side
#RNLI - Ballycotton RNLI was launched yesterday morning (Wednesday 19 April) to rescue a dog that was stranded on the side of a cliff near the East Cork village. The all-weather and inshore lifeboats were both launched to an area…
Pictured at the presentation are from left are Daniel O'Connell, Aran Islands RNLI crew member, family member Sean Flaherty, John and Mary Harwood with the vellum, Tony Hiney, RNLI Community Fundraising Manager, John O'Donnell Aran Islands RNLI Coxswain, John Mulkerrin Aran Islands RNLI mechanic and Michael Hernon, Aran Islands RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager
The grandnephew of an RNLI bowman who was awarded the charity’s bronze medal for gallantry for his part in the daring rescue of 12 people from a Greek freighter back in 1938, has made a visit from the UK to…
Clogherhead RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat
#RNLI - It was a busy Easter Monday (17 April) with two consecutive callouts for Clogherhead RNLI in Co Louth. At 6pm, the all-weather lifeboat was launched to assist a razor boat in difficulty off Mosney in Co Meath. The…
Lifejacket stolen from Portaferry Lifeboat Station
An RNLI lifejacket worth £458 has been stolen from Portaferry lifeboat station in County Down. The lifejacket, a vital part of a volunteer crew member’s kit, is thought to have been stolen sometime between 2 March and 10 April. The…
The boat upturned east of the village of Mornington, Co Meath
#Coastguard - Three people are “extremely lucky to be alive” after their boat upturned on the River Boyne last night (Monday 17 April), as TheJournal.ie reports. The three casualties rescued east of Mornington, Co Meath were found to be not…
Arthur Ray Taylor, known as Archie missing in Cardigan Bay
A 90-year-old sailor is feared missing after his empty dinghy was found adrift off the Welsh coast. Arthur Ray Taylor, known as Archie, was last seen at 9.30am on Saturday, when he left his accommodation to take his dinghy out…
The Bundoran Lifeboat William Henry Liddington launched today
The volunteer crew of Bundoran RNLI Lifeboat were requested to launch this afternoon to assist a dive boat with 4 persons on board, which had broken down. The alarm was raised around 1:50pm with Malin Head Coast Guard who immediately…
 Tara Brady, Doireann Ní Ryan, Allah Marsh, Ava Lawrence, Ella Kennedy and Ronan O’Brien pictured dancing in RNLI yellow wellies on the Ha’penny Bridge in Dublin
The 2017 World Irish Dancing Championships come to a close in Dublin today but not before a group of the budding dance stars swapped their pumps and hard shoes for the RNLI’s yellow wellies to show their support for Mayday,…
The Skerries inshore lifeboat takes the motor boat under tow to Rush
#RNLI - Skerries RNLI were tasked yesterday afternoon (15 April) to a small motor boat with three on board that had failed to return to port as expected. Dublin Coast Guard tasked Skerries RNLI shortly after 1pm after receiving a…
The 40ft cruiser ran aground by the Scilly Islands on Lough Derg
On Saturday afternoon, Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat to launch to assist 10 people after their 40ft cruiser ran aground by the Scilly Islands on Lough Derg. Valentia Coast Guard informed the lifeboat that the Killaloe Coast…

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.