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AfloatDigi 2018 CHMarine SafetySection

Search & Rescue, Water Safety - News from the Marine Safety Agencies
Bundoran RNLI Commemorates 40 Years Since Tragic Drowning
#RNLI - This Sunday 3 August, members of the Kerrigan family, their friends and neighbours, the emergency services and the general public will gather at 10pm for a special function in Dorrian’s Imperial Hotel in Ballyshannon. Following the annual blessing…
Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat Launches For Cruiser With Engine Failure
#rnli – Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat launched yesterday to assist two people on board a 24ft cruiser, broken down and drifting across the lake near Portumna. The lifeboat launched at 4.45pm with Helm Eleanor Hooker, Jason Freeman and Keith Brennan…
Lucky Seven as Larne RNLI Lifeboat Clocks Up the Call Outs
#rnli – The lifeboat crew with Larne RNLI have not had much time to relax over the summer, as their lifeboats have been launched seven times since the end of June. The call outs were to a variety of incidents,…
Rory Gallagher Donation Keeps Ballycotton RNLI Lifeboat Afloat
#rnli – Dónal Gallagher, brother of the late blues guitarist Rory Gallagher has presented Ballycotton RNLI with a generous donation of €11,000 to help them continue their work of saving lives at sea. This phenomenal donation was raised through the…
RNLI's 190 Years of Saving Lives At Sea to be Marked With Knock Ecumenical Service
RNLI – A special Ecumenical Service will be held at Knock Shrine in county Mayo next weekend to mark the 190th anniversary of the RNLI The service which will take place in the Basilica at 12 noon on Saturday 9 August…
Belgian Schooner Crew Rescued By Courtmacsherry Lifeboat
#lifeboat – The Courtmacsherry RNLI Lifeboat has now completed its rescue of the Stricken 66 Ft Belgium Yacht "Tom" that sought help at 3.20pm this afternoon 23 miles south east of Courtmacsherry Bay. The Lifeboat took the casualty in tow…
Elderly Beachgoer Dies At Lahinch
#Coastguard - A man in his 70s has died after collapsing in the shallows at the popular beach at Lahinch, Co Clare yesterday afternoon. As The Irish Times reports, the man suddenly collapsed and was quickly pulled from the water…
Lough Ree RNLI's Action-Packed Weekend As Station Awaits New Lifeboat
#RNLI - A busy weekend for the volunteer crew with Lough Ree RNLI began on Friday evening 25 July when the lifeboat launched at 6.30pm for a cruiser with engine problems near marker no 9 north of the Quaker Island.…
Irish Water Safety Issues Appeal Ahead of Most Popular Swimming Month
#watersafety - August is the most popular month for outdoor swimming, prompting Irish Water Safety's appeal to swim at Lifeguarded waterways and to stay close to shore and within your depth. Ireland averages 135 drownings every year. Drownings happen quickly…
Dunmore East RNLI Help Lifeboat Man Say 'I do' In Style
#rnli – Dunmore East volunteer RNLI lifeboat crewmember, Roy Abrahamsson, married Tramore native, Caroline Kiely, in Dunmore East this weekend and Roy's lifeboat colleagues turned up in full life-saving kit to wish the couple every happiness in their married life.…
Portrush Lifeboats Kept Busy As Summer Arrives On North Coast
#RNLI - Summer certainly hit Ireland's North Coast with a bang this week as temperatures topped 27 degrees, and the volunteer crew of Portrush RNLI experienced one of their busiest weeks. On Monday 21 July, the all-weather lifeboat William Gordon Burr…
Lough Derg Lifeboat Assists Two On Grounded Cruiser
#RNLI - Lough Derg RNLI's lifeboat launched last night (Saturday 26 July) to assist two people on board a cruiser aground at Drominagh, at the northern end of Lough Derg. Valentia Coast Guard requested the launch at 9.45pm and the…
Capsized Yacht Crew Rescued By Ballycotton RNLI Lifeboat off Cork Coast
#rnli – Lifeboat crew at Ballycotton RNLI launched this afternoon (Saturday 26 July 2014) after the alarm was raised by a local ferry that a yacht with two people onboard had capsized 300 metres from Ballycotton Lighthouse off the Cork…
Wicklow RNLI Lifeboat Launches to Assist Sinking Motor Boat
#rnli – Both Wicklow RNLI lifeboats launched at 1.40pm (Saturday 26 July) this afternoon after a small boat with four occupants sank eight miles north east of Wicklow harbour. The 17ft motor boat with two adults and two young children…
Wicklow Lifeboats Rescue Five From Grounded Vessel
#RNLI - Both Wicklow RNLI lifeboats launched after 4.15pm yesterday afternoon (Thursday 24 July) to assist a vessel aground near Travelahawk beach south of Wicklow Harbour. The alarm was raised after the owner of a motor boat put out a…
Marine Notice: Corrib Gas Field Annual Maintenance & Inspection
#MarineNotice - The latest Marine Notice from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) advises that annual maintenance and inspection activities will shortly be carried out on the Corrib Gas Field. The works, being carried out in conjunction with…

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.