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AfloatDigi 2018 CHMarine SafetySection

Search & Rescue, Water Safety - News from the Marine Safety Agencies
Anglers Towed to Safety by Ballycotton Lifeboat
#rnli – Ballycotton lifeboat rescued a pleasure craft one mile south east of Capel Island, off the East Cork coast yesterday. The Coastguard received a call for assistance shortly after 1500 and requested the RNLI lifeboat to launch. The 25–foot…
New Irish Lifeboat Station Gets Call Out Before it Opens
#rnli – The RNLI's newest lifeboat station on Lough Ree received its first callout yesterday afternoon just a few days before it officially goes operational.  The call for help was made by a man onboard a barge who had become…
Coastguard Warns of Seaside Danger to Children
#coastguard – Now that the school holidays are here, Coastguards in Scotland and Northern Ireland have issued a timely notice to encourage children and families to stay safe whilst at the beach and along the coast. Phil MacIver, HM Coastguard…
Sailor Trapped Under Dinghy
#coastguard – A man was taken to hospital this evening after he was rescued from beneath his capsized dinghy, off Dale in Pembrokeshire. Milford Haven Coastguard responded to an emergency 'Mayday' call at 6:54pm. It was reported that the laser…
Isle of Man Lifeboat Rescues Stranded Pleasure Craft
#LIFEBOATS - IOM Today reports that the Isle of Man's Peel RNLI lifeboat crew went to the rescue of the pleasure craft Flying Fox, which suffered an engine room fire some 22 miles off the island's west coast. Flying Fox…
Stranded Canoeist Rescued By Bangor Lifeboat
#RNLI –  On Sunday afternoon, Bangor lifeboat received a request from Belfast Coastguard to launch and rescue a canoeist who was in difficulty off Groomsport. Relatively calm sea conditions allowed for the Lifeboat to proceed at full speed to the…
WARNING TO THE PUBLIC - Firing Exercises
WARNING TO THE PUBLIC AIR CORPS FIRING EXERCISES AND AIR DEFENCE ARTILLERY FIRING EXERCISES From Tuesday 03 July to Wednesday 04 July 2012 From 08.00hrs to 18.00hrs At GORMANSTON, CO. MEATH IT IS DANGEROUS FOR PERSONS, SHIPPING, LIVESTOCK OR AIRCRAFT…
Marine Notice: Live Surface-to-Air Firing Practices at Gormanston
#MARINE NOTICE - The latest Marine Notice from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) warns mariners off Gormanston, Co Meath of live surface-to-air firing practices over two days next week. The Defence Forces will be conducting the live…
Baltimore Lifeboat Tows Yacht to Union Hall
#RNLI – A yacht with engine difficulties just two miles east of Adams Island near Glandore Harbour, West Cork made a call for assistance as variable wind conditions impeded its progress. The alarm was raised last night at 20:04. Baltimore…
Arklow Lifeboat Crew Take to the Roads for RNLI
#RNLI – RNLI Arklow Lifeboat volunteers in County Wicklow are setting off on June 29th to visit every lifeboat station on the Island of Ireland in a single weekend. Vartry Motors KIA Dealers have partnered with Arklow RNLI to provide…
Bundoran Lifeboat Assists Swimmers in Triathlon
#rnli – Eleven swimmers taking part in the annual Triathlon at Mullaghmore in North County Sligo on Saturday morning (16th June 2012) were assisted by the volunteer crew of Bundoran RNLI Lifeboat. The Bundoran Lifeboat William Henry Liddington was on…
Lifeboat Crew Face Challenge in Courtown Car Crash
#LIFEBOATS - "Extremely challenging" conditions hampered the crew of Courtown RNLI after a car crashed into the sea at the Co Wexford harbour, the Irish Examiner reports. A 19-year-old man died in the incident on Friday night after he and…
Baltimore Lifeboat Tasked for Medevac and Tows Yacht to Safety
#lifeboat – A call for assistance came for a second time yesterday to Baltimore lifeboat when the bleepers went off at 21:55, this time for the all weather lifeboat. The coastguard had issued a request for an immediate medical evacuation…
Telescope User Spots Injured Man Adrift in Cork Harbour
#RESCUE - The Evening Echo reports on the 'miracle rescue' of a man who fell from his boat in Cork Harbour after he was spotted by telescope. The incident happened on Saturday, when the 37-year-old man from Carrigaline went overboard…
Lack of Lifejackets Instrumental in 'Castaway' Drownings - MCIB
#MCIB REPORT - The inquiry into the drowning of three men on a fishing trip off West Cork in August 2010 has concluded that their deaths could have been avoided had they been wearing lifejackets. Wolfgang 'Mike' Schmidt (70), Richard…
Clyde Coastguard Staff Begin Week of Strike Action Tonight
#COASTGUARD - Staff from the Clyde coastguard in Scotland will go on strike late tonight in protest at the threatened closure of their station. As the Clydebank Post reports, the strike in the early hours from 3am to 4am begins…

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.