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AfloatDigi 2018 CHMarine SafetySection

Search & Rescue, Water Safety - News from the Marine Safety Agencies
Clogherhead RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat on Saturday night’s call-out
Crews from Clogherhead RNLI, Skerries RNLI and Drogheda Coast Guard were all involved in the rescue of a 10-metre fishing boat with engine problems at the mouth of the River Nanny near Laytown in Co Meath on Saturday evening (12…
File image of Baltimore RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat
Baltimore RNLI were requested to provide a medical evacuation on Tuesday morning (8 October) from Heir Island near the West Cork village. The volunteer lifeboat crew launched their all-weather lifeboat at 8.06am, following a request from the Irish Coast Guard to provide…
Ned Dillon, Eddie McElheron, Liam O’Neill, James Russell and Craig O’Reilly of Arklow RNLI
On Sunday 6 October, members of Arklow RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crew departed the lifeboat station to travel to the All-Weather Lifeboat Centre in Poole and bring the station’s new Shannon class lifeboat Roy Holloway to its new home. When they…
Bangor RNLI lifeboat volunteer Joel Meharg has completed his Tier 2 Pass Out
Three volunteers with Bangor RNLI in Northern Ireland have successfully met significant training milestones. Michael McComb is now a helm while Joel Meharg has passed all his crew training. Lifeboat operations manager Captain Byron Griffiths, meanwhile, has completed his head…
Bangor RNLI’s inshore lifeboat Ruby Robinson stands by off Skippingstone Beach on Tuesday 1 October
Bangor RNLI was involved in the rescue of a swimmer off Skippingstone Beach last Tuesday morning (1 October). The volunteer crew were requested to launch their inshore lifeboat at 9.49am following a request from Belfast Coastguard to assist with a…
Paul Hegarty, Head of NMCI, Tánaiste Micheál Martin, President of MTU Maggie Cusack and Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science of Ireland Patrick O’Donovan TD looking at a model of the MV Arklow Rover while attending a special event to mark the 20th anniversary of the National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI), a strategic partnership between Munster Technological University (MTU) and the Irish Naval Service. NMCI is located in Ringaskiddy, County Cork
The National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI), one of Munster Technological University’s (MTU) six campuses and a strategic partnership between MTU and the Irish Naval Service, marks its 20th anniversary today (04.10.2024) with a special event at its campus in…
Rescuers who saved 19 lives from drowning have been recognised at the annual Water Safety Ireland (WSI) awards in Dublin Castle. A number of gardaí are among the 32 recipients of awards presented by Minister of State for Equality and…
Alan Cott, Fleet Manager Green Rebel and Ballycotton RNLI Volunteer; Kieran Ivers, CEO Green Rebel; and Síle Scanlon, RNLI at Camden Fort Meagher Crosshaven. Irish offshore survey company Green Rebel has announced its support for the RNLI which will see a group of lifeboat stations benefit to the tune of €15,000. The funds will support the running and maintenance of lifeboat stations in Arklow, Ballycotton, Crosshaven, Dun Laoghaire, Howth and Galway - all areas where Green Rebel has been operating in recent years
Irish offshore survey company Green Rebel has announced its support for the RNLI which will see a group of lifeboat stations benefit to the tune of €15,000. The funds will support the running and maintenance of lifeboat stations in Dublin,…
File
There have been renewed calls for safety warning signage at the Forty Foot following the rescue of a young boy and his father from the popular south Dublin swimming spot last weekend. As the Irish Independent reports, a passer-by threw…
Chiming precisely with the lifeboat's number, the new Arklow Shannon class will arrive at the Irish east coast harbour town at 13:53 on October 13th
On October 13th, 2024, the Arklow RNLI's lifeboat crew will bring the new lifeboat home to the Irish east coast town for the first time. The volunteers will travel to the Lifeboat Training College in Poole, Dorset, and then plot…
The Baltimore RNLI lifeboat with the yacht with one person onboard which encountered trouble off the coast of Baltimore, West Cork
The Baltimore RNLI received a call to assist a yacht with one person onboard that encountered trouble off the coast of Baltimore, West Cork, on Monday 30 September. The volunteer lifeboat crew launched their all-weather lifeboat at 8:42pm after a…
Clifden RNLI’s inshore lifeboat Joyce King
The volunteer lifeboat crew of Clifden RNLI were tasked at 5.30pm on Monday (30 September) to carry out a medical evacuation from Inishbofin. Under the command of coxswain James Mullen, Clifden’s all-weather lifeboat St Christopher was launched with Joe Acton,…
Coxswain Nick Keogh presenting Mary Aldridge with a gift from the lifeboat crew
On Friday evening 13 September, Mary Aldridge joined lifeboat crew, operations team, fundraising volunteers, family and friends at Wicklow Sailing Club for a special event to celebrate her retirement as lifeboat operations manager. To mark Mary’s retirement, coxswain Nick Keogh…
The new AW189 helicopter has been used by Bristow Ireland crews to tour the country, including the west coast, and introduce key stakeholders to the new helicopter type
Bristow Ireland crew have flown to the west coast to give people a first-hand look at the new AW 189 helicopter which it will be flying for the Irish Coast Guard under the new ten-year contract. Crew dropped in at…
Killian Kenny, who was rescued, and Chief Supt Gerry Roche, who presented Garda Randal Considine and Garda Shane Riddell with commendations at Gort Garda Station
Two Gardaí in Co Galway have been awarded Commendations with Distinction following their rescue of a man from the water in Kinvara last week. The incident occurred at around 4.45pm on Thursday, September 19th, 2024 when Garda Randal Considine and…
File image of Clogherhead RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat
Clogherhead RNLI came to the aid of a fisherman on Wednesday (25 September) after their razor boat broke down nine miles north of Clogherhead in Co Louth. The volunteer crew were requested by the Dublin Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre to…

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.