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AfloatDigi 2018 CHMarine SafetySection

Search & Rescue, Water Safety - News from the Marine Safety Agencies
Water Safety Week Urges Prevention Of Summer Drownings
#WaterSafety - Thirty-seven children aged 14 and under have drowned in Ireland a decade - a sobering statistic to note just weeks before half a million children in Ireland will be on summer holidays. To mark Water Safety Week, running…
Lough Swilly RNLI's Shannon arrives on station
#RNLI - Arklow man and former lifeboat operations manager Jimmy Tyrrell will have the honour of naming the first class of RNLI lifeboat to be named after an Irish river this Saturday 25 June in Buncrana, Co Donegal. Lough Swilly…
Wicklow's all-weather lifeboat towing the stricken yacht into Wicklow Harbour
#RNLI - Wicklow RNLI's all-weather lifeboat launched yesterday afternoon (Sunday 19 June) to a solo sailor in distress six miles off the Wicklow coast. A marine VHF radio distress signal was received by the Irish Coast Guard from the French…
Early Morning Callout For Arklow Lifeboat To Casualty In Water
#RNLI - Arklow RNLI was called out early this morning (Sunday 19 June) to go the assistance of a casualty in difficulty near Arklow Harbour. Within minutes of a pager alert at 6.23am, the lifeboat Ger Tigchlearr and her volunteer…
The 36–foot fishing vessel got into difficult just 300 metres off the rocks at Dunworley Point near Seven Heads in West Cork at 2pm today and sought immediate assistance.
The Courtmacsherry RNLI All Weather Lifeboat was called out at 2pm today Sat to go to the aid of a 36 foot Fishing Vessel that had got into difficulty just 300 meters off the rocks at Dunworley Point in West…
Ireland's waters host a number of stinging jellyfish, such as the blue jellyfish
#Jellyfish - Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has raised the red warning flag in Sandycove and erected signs warning swimmers of the presence of stinging jellyfish in the water and washed up on the beach. Photographs have been taken and sent…
RNLI lifeguards on beach patrol
#Lifeguards - RNLI lifeguards will commence full-time summer patrol on 10 beaches in Northern Ireland from next Saturday 25 June. Following a busy period of intensive training in preparation for the new season, the lifeguards will be keeping visitors safe…
The four young rowers have had to set aside their record attempt after setting off from Tower in London 10 days ago to row around the UK coast. See video below.
Rosslare Harbour RNLI launched last night to four young men attempting a record-breaking row off the UK coast after they requested assistance in worsening weather conditions. They were brought to safety by Rosslare Harbour RNLI in a call out that…
Pictured at the launch of Text Coney are from left Frank Carter, Sligo Bay RNLI Coastal Safety Adviser, Rogan Wheeldon, RNLI Community Incident Reduction Manager, Michael and John McGowan, residents of Coney Island, Joe Henderson, Sligo Bay RNLI Coastal Safety Officer, Willie Murphy, Sligo Bay RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager and to the front, Johnny Keaney Sligo Bay RNLI volunteer.
The RNLI has today launched an innovative free text message service aimed at preventing people getting caught out by dangerous tides when travelling to Coney Island in County Sligo. In what is the first of its kind in Ireland, the…
The lifeboat launched from Fethard dock in good weather with a northerly wind gusting 3/4 knots
Fethard RNLI launched this morning to a 21-foot fishing vessel with a fouled propeller one mile from Baginbun Head. There was one fisherman on board the boat. While the lobster pots were being recovered onto the vessel a rope became…
RNLI Red Bay – Prior to its arrival in Cushendall, the all weather lifeboat was moored at Glenarm Marina for a short period
An all-weather lifeboat has officially been put on service and become a declared search and rescue asset for a two year trial period at Red Bay RNLI in County Antrim. The Trent class lifeboat Henry Heys Duckworth has come from…
Bangor Lifeboat Rescues Four On Drifting Motorboat In Belfast Lough
#RNLI - Bangor RNLI assisted four people who got into difficulty on a broken-down motorboat on Belfast Lough on Monday evening (13 June). The volunteer lifeboat crew launched at 10.25pm to rescue the 19ft motorboat just off the Cloghan Jetty.…
Rescue 115 from Shannon flew more than 200km offshore to recover the injured fishing crewmember
#Coastguard - Shannon's Irish Coast Guard helicopter was launched yesterday afternoon (Tuesday 14 June) to evacuate an injured crewmember from an Irish fishing vessel off the Kerry coast. Top cover was provided by a second coastguard helicopter as Rescue 115…
Carrybridge RNLI speeding to one of their three callouts on Upper Lough Erne this past Saturday
#RNLI - Carrybridge RNLI attended three different incidents – one involving a fire – on Upper Lough Erne this past Saturday (11 June). The inshore lifeboat and rescue wafer craft were initially tasked to a burning vessel at 6.08pm, two…
Wicklow RNLI's all-weather lifeboat taking the cruiser under tow
#RNLI - Wicklow RNLI's all-weather lifeboat launched to give assistance to an English motor cruiser at 12.20pm yesterday (Sunday 12 June). The cruiser, with five people on board, was on passage from Dun Laoghaire to Pembroke when it developed mechanical…
The inshore lifeboat brought the vessel to Crosshaven
Crosshaven RNLI lifeboat launched at 10.53pm last night to a small yacht aground at White Bay on the East side of Cork Harbour. At the scene, the crew found one person in the water attempting to hold the yacht off…

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.