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AfloatDigi 2018 CHMarine SafetySection

Search & Rescue, Water Safety - News from the Marine Safety Agencies
The stricken trawler from Kilkeel safely moored in Peel Harbour after its overnight ordeal
#RNLI - Two British naval war ships, three helicopters and a fishing vessel joined Peel RNLI in the dramatic rescue of a trawler between Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man in the early hours of Wednesday morning (21 September).…
Ring of Kerry cyclists with their cheque for Fethard RNLI
#RNLI - Fethard RNLI was presented with a cheque for €5,749 last Friday 16 September by Ring of Kerry cyclists towards the charity’s special appeal in aid of a new inshore lifeboat which is due on service at the end…
The Bundoran Lifeboat - William Henry Liddington
Four teenage girls who got into trouble whilst swimming at Main Beach in Bundoran on Saturday (17th September) have issued an appeal to find the body boarders who helped them out of the water. The girls were in the water…
Newcastle Lifeboat Launches To Drifting Cruiser
#RNLI - Newcastle RNLI's inshore lifeboat Eliza was requested to launch by Belfast Coastguard just before 2pm on Saturday afternoon (17 September) to investigate a vessel adrift four miles east of Newcastle in Co Down, near the mouth of Dundrum…
Wicklow RNLI inshore lifeboat crew Carol Flahive, Ian Thompson and Peter McCann
#RNLI - Lifeboat volunteers with Wicklow RNLI responded to two callouts over the weekend, assisting a lone yachtsman and a person in the water. The first came on Saturday 17 September as the all-weather lifeboat Annie Blaker launched at 2.55pm…
Inis Mór in the Aran Islands
#MarineNotice - Repair works are currently ongoing on the Inis Mór–Inis Meáin cable weeks after a fault left the Aran Islands without power for a number of days. The works, which began last Saturday 10 September and will continue for…
Donnelly Demands Update On Greystones Coastguard Upgrades
#Coastguard - Wicklow TD Stephen Donnelly has called for an update on promised upgrades to Greystones coastguard station, as the Wicklow Times reports. The former Social Democrats co-leader said the Co Wicklow town's Irish Coast Guard base is the only…
Waves Festival sponsors celebrate the event's fundraising total
#RNLI - The Waves Music Festival on Sunday 28 August raised €35,000 towards Fethard RNLI's special in aid of a new inshore lifeboat which is due on service at the end 2017. Some 2,500 people turned out for the family-friendly…
The view from one of three yachts Larne RNLI towed to safety last weekend amid high winds
#RNLI - Larne RNLI launched last Friday 9 and Sunday 1 September to help recover a total of three yachts that had broken from moorings in severe weather. The inshore lifeboat launched at 4.05pm on Friday to reports of a…
The yacht damaged by rock armour in Rosslare Harbour
#RNLI - The volunteer crew from Rosslare Harbour RNLI launched their all-weather lifeboat at 3.45am yesterday morning (Wednesday 14 September) following a distress call from a yacht that suffered engine failure and drifted onto rock armour. The eight-metre vessel, with…
Map showing the location of Ardoileán off Clifden in Connemara
#Rescue - Galway Bay FM reports that a man was recovering from hypothermia last night (Tuesday 13 September) after his boat sank off Connemara. The man had set out from Clifden earlier in the day headed for Ardoileán, or High…
Statement from Minister Shane Ross on Death of Volunteer Coast Guard Caitriona Lucas
It was with extreme sadness that I learned of the tragedy which occurred this afternoon in the waters off Kilkee, Co Clare. Caitriona was a member of that extraordinary group of men and women who dedicate their skills, time and…
Coastguard Member Dies During Search Off Kilkee
#Coastguard - RTÉ News is reporting that a member of the Irish Coast Guard has died after a rescue boat overturned during a search for a man missing of Kilkee this afternoon (Monday 12 September). Two other coastguard crew were recovered…
French yachtsman Jean Conchaudron clings to his upturned hull after keel failure
#Rescue - The French sailor rescued from the hull of his upturned yacht off the Wexford coast this summer has again paid tribute to the Irish Coast Guard crew who came to his aid. As previously reported on Afloat.ie, yachtsman…
Paddy Crowley with the RNLI Crosshaven crew
There were double celebrations for the RNLI in County Cork this weekend with two new lifeboats officially named and blessed in Youghal and Crosshaven. At a special ceremony held on Saturday, Youghal RNLI officially named its new Atlantic 85 class…
Helvick Head Lifeboat Crew Rescue Man From Water After Pier Car Crash
#RNLI - Helvick Head RNLI rescued a man who got into difficulty in the water at Helvick Pier early this morning (Sunday 11 September). The volunteer lifeboat crew was requested to launch their inshore lifeboat at 7.12am following a report…

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.