Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

AfloatDigi 2018 CHMarine SafetySection

Search & Rescue, Water Safety - News from the Marine Safety Agencies
Wicklow's all-weather lifeboat RNLB Joanna & Henry Williams
Wicklow RNLI brought five people to safety yesterday afternoon (Wednesday, 5 June), after their vessel developed mechanical problems five and a half miles south of Wicklow Harbour. The all-weather lifeboat RNLB Joanna & Henry Williams slipped its mooring at 4:10…
Lough Ree RNLI crew on the inshore lifeboat Tara Scougall
Lough Ree RNLI volunteers were on the water to four boats in difficulty on the lake within the span of seven days. Just before 4pm on Sunday (2 June) Lough Ree RNLI was requested by the Irish Coast Guard to…
File image of Rosslare Harbour RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat
In a joint operation, Rosslare Harbour and Kilmore Quay RNLI in Co Wexford came to the aid of a lone sailor early on Tuesday morning (4 June) after an 8.5m yacht got into difficulty. The volunteer crews were requested to…
Carrybridge RNLI’s inshore lifeboat approaches an 8m vessel with four people on board which had lost steering south of Crom Castle
Carrybridge RNLI’s inshore lifeboat launched on Sunday evening (2 June) at the request of Belfast Coastguard to assess an eight-metre vessel with four people on board which had lost steering south of Crom Castle. Winds were north-westerly Force 2 and…
Ireland’s newest SAR specialists pictured in the Netherlands with a Bristow AW189 - Rich Bolton (SAR Commander), Alan Speed (Technical Crew), Mike Beamish (Technical Crew Manager), Craig Thomson (Technical Crew), Kevin Drodge (SAR Commander)
Search and rescue (SAR) pilots and technical crew are training on the new Irish Coast Guard helicopters which Bristow Ireland will fly as part of the new contract. Ahead of aircraft delivery, the new and growing Irish team of experienced…
Tramore RNLI inshore lifeboat
On Sunday, the 2nd of June 2024, Tramore RNLI were called into action following reports of a person in difficulty in a small inflatable dinghy off Tramore beach, near the Ladies slip. The alert was raised by a concerned member…
File image of Lough Derg RNLI’s inshore lifeboat
On Saturday afternoon (1 June), Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat to launch to locate, assess and escort to safe harbour a vessel that a member of the public reported had made contact with rocks at Ryan’s Point.…
File image of Youghal RNLI’s inshore lifeboat
Youghal RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crew were requested to launch at 2.48pm on Friday afternoon (31 May) to reports of two children on an inflatable toy craft that was blown out to sea off the Strand beach in East Cork. The…
Caitriona Lucas challenge trio (from left) Bernard Lucas, Deirdre Linnane and Cormac Coyne
Late Irish Coast Guard volunteer Caitriona Lucas will be remembered when three mountaineers tackle the five highest peaks in Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales over a three-day period this month. As The Sunday Independent reports, the team for the fourth…
The Courtmacsherry All Weather RNLI Lifeboat crew at the pontoon after they return from the callout. The crew involved were Coxswain Ken Cashman, Mechanic Dave Philips and crewmembers Peter Nunan, Denis Murphy, Dean Hennessy and Kieran Boyle
The Courtmacsherry All Weather RNLI Lifeboat "Val Adnams" was called into action at 5.04 pm on Saturday to assist a 25ft pleasure boat in distress off the Seven Heads coast in West Cork. The pleasure boat had issued a "Mayday"…
File image of Valentia RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat John and Margaret Doig
The Irish Coast Guard, Water Safety Ireland and RNLI have issued joint advice to help keep people safe at Ireland’s waterways over this June Bank Holiday weekend. Water-based activities increase at this time of year, as do the number of…
File image of Courtmacsherry RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat off Roches Point
Courtmacsherry RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat Val Adnams was called out by Valentia Coast Guard Marine Rescue Co-Ordination Centre at 11.35am on Thursday morning (30 May) to go to the immediate aid of a 26ft fishing/pleasure boat which had got into difficulties…
File image of Lough Derg RNLI’s inshore lifeboat Jean Spier
Lough Derg RNLI’s volunteers were requested to launch on Wednesday evening (29 May) to assist three people on a 26ft cruiser with engine failure and at anchor in Youghal Bay, east of Garrykennedy Harbour. At 5.34pm the inshore lifeboat Jean…
Barry Andrews MEP; Councillor Mary Hanafin; Councillor Denis O’Callaghan, Cathaoirleach, Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council; Councillor Marie Baker; Ed Totterdell, RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager; Councillor Carrie Smyth; Cormac Devlin TD; Harry Duggan, Harbour Master, Dún Laoghaire Harbour; Colette O'Sullivan; with RNLI crew members Nathan Burke, Andrew Sykes and James Traynor at rear
A record of the trust which was established to help bereaved families in the lifeboat disaster on Christmas Eve 1895 off Dun Laoghaire has been published digitally by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown (dlr) archive services. The Kingstown Life-Boat Disaster Fund Letter…
Some of the crew and volunteers of Dún Laoghaire RNLI acknowledged for their bravery and commitment in saving lives at sea. Organised by Dún Laoghaire Senator Barry Ward, twelve members of the Dún Laoghaire RNLI were presented with certificates of appreciation by An Taoiseach, Simon Harris TD, in Government Buildings, Dublin
Some of the crew and volunteers of Dún Laoghaire RNLI were acknowledged yesterday for their bravery and commitment in saving lives at sea. Organised by Dún Laoghaire Senator Barry Ward, twelve members of the Dún Laoghaire RNLI were presented with…
Portaferry RNLI volunteers at the cross-community service of thanksgiving on Sunday 26 May
The 200th anniversary of the RNLI was celebrated in Portaferry on Sunday (26 May) with a cross-community service of thanksgiving held in St Patrick’s Community Centre. The service hosted by Portaferry RNLI was greatly supported by both the local community…

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.