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AfloatDigi 2018 CHMarine SafetySection

Search & Rescue, Water Safety - News from the Marine Safety Agencies
Isle Of Man Lifeboat Launches To Person In Irish Sea
#RNLI - Lifeboat volunteer crewmembers with Douglas RNLI on the Isle of Man were paged at 9.24pm on Thursday evening (11 September) to a report of a person in the Irish Sea off Victoria Pier. The all-weather lifeboat Sir William…
Rosslare Harbour Lifeboat Launched To Stranded Yacht Off North Wexford Coast
#RNLI - Rosslare Harbour RNLI has assisted three crew onboard a 20m yacht which got into difficulty off the north Wexford coast yesterday evening (Thursday 11 September). The volunteer crew launched their all-weather lifeboat at 5pm to go to the assistance…
Artist To Auction 'Regatta at Roundstone' Oil Painting For Clifden RNLI
#rnli – Fans of master artist Kenneth Webb will have the opportunity to get their hands on a new painting he will start during Clifden Arts week and auction to raise funds for Clifden RNLI. Work on the 20'x 24'…
Marine Notices: Survey Operations In The Celtic Sea, Off Southwest Coast
#MarineNotice - The latest Marine Notice from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport advises that Osiris Projects will be carrying out two survey operations along the proposed interconnector route between Ireland and France. The surveys will extend from the…
Bundoran Lifeboat Launches To 'Red Flare' Sighting
#RNLI - Bundoran RNLI has urged anyone planning on setting off fireworks or anything similar that could be mistaken for a distress flare to inform the coastguard in advance after a false alarm on Saturday night (6 September). At 10.40pm…
Skerries Lifeboat Tows Motorboat To Safety Off Lambay
#RNLI - Skerries RNLI towed a motorboat with four people on board to safety on yesterday morning (Sunday 7 September) after they developed electrical problems and were unable to start their engine. Shortly after 11am, Dublin Coast Guard requested the…
Lough Swilly RNLI Lifeboat Rescue Six Men from Sinking Fishing Vessel
#rnli – Lough Swilly RNLI has rescued six men from a sinking fishing vessel off the Donegal coast in the early hours of this morning (Monday 8 September). The volunteer lifeboat crew was requested to launch both their inshore and…
Crosshaven RNLI Lifeboat In Search for RIB in Collision with Navigation Buoy
rnli – Two men had a very narrow escape yesterday evening ( Saturday 6 Sept ) when their Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) collided with a navigation buoy near the Spit lighthouse and threw them from the boat into the water.…
Marine Notice: Corrib Gas Pipeline & Umbilical Inshore Maintenance & Inspection Survey
#MarineNotice - An inshore pipeline and umbilical maintenance and inspection survey, using vessel mounted acoustic survey equipment and a side scan sonar system, will take place from high water at Glengad, Co Mayo to an area close to the water…
Lifeguards Compete in IWS National Beach Rescue Championships
#watersafety – After a busy Summer season, Ireland's top Lifeguards will compete in the IWS National Beach Rescue Championships at Brittas Bay, Wicklow tomorrow. (9am-5pm, Saturday 6th Sept.) Competitors will gather from counties nationwide and will include lifeguards from Ireland's…
RNLI Participate in Frontline Emergency & Security Services Parade
#rnli – The RNLI will be recognised this weekend during a frontline emergency and security services spectacular in Dublin. Volunteers from the charity which saves lives at sea will take part in a unique parade aimed at raising awareness of…
Wicklow Lifeboat Rescues Swimmer Off Brides Head
#RNLI - Wicklow RNLI rescued a male swimmer who got into difficulty yesterday afternoon (Thursday 4 September). The rescue followed a request from the Irish Coast Guard for the volunteer lifeboat crew to search for a missing swimmer at Silver Strand…
Lough Derg Lifeboat Called to Boat with Damaged Driveshaft After Hitting Rock
#rnli – Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat launched to assist two people on board a 40ft cruiser, adrift by Crow Island, south of the Scilly Islands on Lough Derg yesterday. On Wednesday afternoon, September 3, Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg…
Union Hall RNLI – The 45th Lifeboat Station in Ireland is Now Operational
#rnli – The RNLI's 45th lifeboat station in Ireland has officially been put on service at Union Hall for a trial period of two years. The station boat is now a declared search and rescue asset based at Keelbeg Pier…
Baltimore Lifeboat Aids Drifting Fishing Boat
#RNLI - Baltimore RNLI launched within minutes of being alerted to a drifting fishing boat off Yokane Point, west of the Stags in West Cork. The two men on board the 30-foot motorboat had set out for a peaceful day's…
Courtmacsherry Completes 31–Mile Tow of Broken Down Fishing Vessel
#rnli – The Courtmacsherry RNLI Lifeboat completed its tow of the 33 ft–Fishing Vessel 'Michelle' back to the pier in Courtmacsherry after earlier today going to its rescue 31 miles offshore near the Kinsale Head Gas Fields. The four hour…

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.