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AfloatDigi 2018 CHMarine SafetySection

Search & Rescue, Water Safety - News from the Marine Safety Agencies
Galway Lifeboat Tows Vessels To Safety At Renville
#RNLI - Galway RNLI's lifeboat was launched on Saturday evening (20 August) after two yachts and a half-decker got into difficulty at Renville on Galway Bay. The alarm was raised by the Irish Coast Guard shortly after 6pm after a…
Fishing boats around the coast are advised of dredging works in Rossaveal till January
#MarineNotice - The latest Marine Notice from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) advises of the of the dredging of soft material and disposal at sea, drilling and blasting and removal of bedrock, construction of breakwater and revetment…
Fethard RNLI's D-class inshore lifeboat
#RNLI - Fethard RNLI launched last night (Saturday 20 August) on the request of the Irish Coast Guard to a vessel with one person onboard in difficulty a mile from Fethard in Co Wexford. A member of the public raised…
Castletownbere RNLI rescues a lone yachtsman during a 12-hour mission at sea
#RNLI - The Castletownbere lifeboat Annette Hutton was launched early yesterday morning (Saturday 20 August) when Valentia Coast Guard Radio requested assistance to a yacht in difficulties 45 miles south of Mizen Head in West Cork. The 8m yacht with…
Union Hall RNLI on exercise
#RNLI - A group of kayakers were brought to safety on Thursday night (18 August) by Union Hall RNLI after they got into difficulty during a night-time kayaking expedition off Castlehaven in West Cork. The alarm was raised by one…
Engine breakdown – Nine people were on board, three adults and six children were towed to safety on the cruiser
At 3.30pm yesterday, Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat was requested to launch by Valentia Coast Guard, following a report from people on shore at Mountshannon, that people were seen waving a distress signal on a cruiser outside the bay. The lifeboat…
Crosshaven RNLI Inshore Lifeboat off Roches Point in Cork Harbour
Crosshaven RNLI Lifeboat crew responded to a request from Valentia Coast Guard this evening to a person seen being held onto the side of a moored boat in the Channel at East Ferry. The Crosshaven volunteer crew happened to be near…
Clifden RNLI taking LÉ Orla under tow
#RNLI - An unusual training exercise took place on Sunday (14 August) off the Connemara coastline involving the Naval Service vessel LÉ Orla and the volunteer crews of the Clifden RNLI lifeboats. In calm conditions, RNLI volunteers and naval crew…
Loftus Hall present Fethard RNLI with a €12,000 donation towards a new lifeboat
#RNLI - Fethard RNLI have received a major boost for their inshore lifeboat appeal after receiving a €12,000 donation from local business Loftus Hall. Ahead of the RNLI Waves Festival at the end of the month, Aidan and Shane Quigley…
Helvick Head RNLI's inshore lifeboat Robert Armstrong
#RNLI - Three kayakers who got into difficulty in Dungarvan Bay on Sunday evening (7 August) were assisted by the volunteer crew of Helvick Head RNLI. The inshore lifeboat Robert Armstrong launched just after 6.30pm following a report that three…
Kinsale Lifeboat Launches Twice Within Six Hours At Weekend
#RNLI - The volunteer crew from Kinsale RNLI launched twice overnight on Saturday (6 August) and into the early hours of Sunday (7 August) this past weekend. The lifeboat first launched at 9.40pm to Saturday to aid a 26ft yacht…
Fethard Lifeboat Crew Brings Drifting Pleasure Boat To Safety
#RNLI - Fethard RNLI had a busy weekend, with their second callout in 24 hours seeing launch to reports of an unmanned vessel drifting a half mile off Fethard in Co Wexford. The alarm was raised before 9.30am yesterday morning…
Red Rock in Sutton where the kayakers got into difficulty
#Rescue - Twelve kayakers rescued amid difficult weather conditions in Dublin Bay yesterday had only limited safety equipment and had not logged their trip with the coastguard, as The Irish Times reports. The kayaking group were recovered by the Howth…
Courtmacsherry RNLI rescued the men close to rocks in West Cork
The Courtmacsherry RNLI All Weather Lifeboat was called out at 5.15 pm yesterday afternoon to go to the aid of three men who got into difficulty in a Jet–ski and small pleasure boat just off the Seven Heads coastline in…
Crosshaven RNLI Inshore lifeboat speeds past Roches Point at the entrance to Cork Harbour
Crosshaven lifeboat was launched this afternoon after a member of the public alerted the Coast Guard to an inflatable Dinghy with thre persons on board being blown out to sea. The lifeboat launched at 14.52 and made their way to…
HM Coastguard's Prestwick-based rescue helicopter
#Coastguard - Five people were rescued as their boat sank under them between Ailsa Craig and Girvan in the Firth of Clyde last night (Saturday 6 August). Belfast Coastguard received 999 calls just after 6.40pm from the men on the…

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.