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AfloatDigi 2018 CHMarine SafetySection

Search & Rescue, Water Safety - News from the Marine Safety Agencies
Wexford RNLI rescued lone sailor on sandbank
Wexford RNLI rescued a lone sailor yesterday evening after his yacht hit a sandbank in heavy seas off Rosslare Point. Volunteer lifeboat crews from Wexford and Rosslare Harbour RNLI were launched at 6.35pm following reports that a 26ft yacht had…
Ballyglass RNLI Assist Fishermen on Broken Down Trawler
Ballyglass RNLI is assisting three fishermen this afternoon after their 40ft trawler got into difficulty off the Mayo coast. The volunteer crew was requested to launch their all-weather lifeboat shortly after 10 o’clock this morning following a report that a…
Clifden RNLI volunteers take their Skerries colleagues out on the water
#RNLI - Skerries RNLI's volunteer crew headed to the West of Ireland this month as they paid a visit to their colleagues in Clifden RNLI. Once a year the volunteers in Skerries undertake a team-building and fact-finding trip to other…
Portaferry RNLI's inshore lifeboat on exercise
#RNLI - Portaferry RNLI's volunteer lifeboat crew were called out yesterday afternoon (Sunday 17 April) to assist a 36ft angling vessel which had run into difficulty north of the South Rock Light Buoy near Portaferry, Co Down. The alarm was…
Since the new lifeboat went on service on Sligo Bay in November it has launched four times to call outs
At a special ceremony held today Sligo Bay RNLI officially named its new Atlantic 85 lifeboat, Sheila & Dennis Tongue, at its station in Rosses Point. Peter Killen, a member of the Irish Council of the RNLI, accepted the lifeboat…
The CS “Wave Sentinel” (Callsign MZBC8) is scheduled to arrive on site in the evening 14th April 2016 to commence works
The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport has been advised that Global Marine Systems Ltd has been contracted to undertake an emergency repair to the Hibernia Express submarine fibre optic telecommunications cable in the Irish Sea on the outer limits of Irish Territorial…
Youghal RNLI's new Atlantic 85 lifeboat Gordon and Phil
#RNLI - A new Atlantic 85 class lifeboat has gone on service at Youghal RNLI. The lifeboat, which arrived at the east Cork lifeboat station on Monday evening (11 April), replaces Patricia Jennings, which has been used to save lives…
Marine Notice: Annual Inspection & Maintenance At Corrib Gas Field
#MarineNotice - The latest Marine Notice from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) advises that Shell E & P Ireland Ltd will undertake its annual pipeline and umbilical survey at the Corrib field location and along the pipeline…
Larne RNLI's all-weather lifeboat at Bangor
#RNLI - The RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew from Larne carried out a training exercise with the Dublin-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 116 off Ballygally Head yesterday (Sunday 10 April). The Sikorsky S-92 initially visited Larne on 20 March last…
The Sligo-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 118
#Rescue - A lobster fisherman was rescued after getting tangled in his vessel's ropes when it overturned off the Donegal coast on Saturday evening (9 April). As TheJournal.ie reports, the rescue of the solo fisherman proved difficult for local coastguard…
RNLI Rosslare say goodbye to Tony Kehoe
Lifeboat crew past and present, family, fundraisers and well-wishers galore all gathered this weekend to wish one of Rosslare RNLI’s most well-known and respected lifeboat men, a long and happy retirement. Tony Kehoe spent 42 years volunteering with the RNLI…
lifeboat camera footage of Kinsale RNLI callout to a stricken trawler
Three fishermen were rescued tonight (Sunday 10 April) in gale force conditions by volunteer lifeboat crew from Kinsale RNLI. The 20 metre beam trawler was forced onto the rocks at Moneypoint, at the entrance to Kinsale harbour, around 1800hrs this…
Waves breaking over Howth's East Pier are a danger to walkers
#WaterSafety - Howth Coast Guard has advised walkers to avoid the harbour's East Pier today (Sunday 10 April) due to the danger of breaking waves. It comes as Met Éireann issues a Status Yellow weather warning for most of the…
Two Bodies Recovered In Search For Missing Crew Of Fishing Vessel Sunk Off Scotland
#Search - Two bodies have been found in the search for the missing crew of a fishing vessel that sank off Scotland's Western Isles early yesterday (Saturday 9 April). One crew member was taken to hospital by helicopter as UK…
The lifeboat being recovered at Bundoran pier just before 9pm last night
The volunteer crew of Bundoran RNLI lifeboat were requested to launch yesterday evening (Saturday 9th April) to reports of surfers in difficulty off Tullaghan in County Leitrim. The 999 call was made by a member of the public who noticed…
Bangor RNLI's lifeboat in action
#RNLI - Bangor RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crew launched at 7pm on Tuesday evening (5 April) to help in the rescue of a yacht whose engine had failed on passage from Stranraer to Bangor on Belfast Lough. Bangor RNLI’s lifeboat operations…

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.