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AfloatDigi 2018 CHMarine SafetySection

Search & Rescue, Water Safety - News from the Marine Safety Agencies
It's Official - Bangor Coastguard Will Stay Open
#COASTGUARD - The UK's shipping minister has confirmed that Northern Ireland will retain its only coastguard station, the News Letter reports. http://afloat.ie/safety/coastguard/ http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/local/coastguard_s_survival_is_confirmed_1_3271604 Mike Penning made the survival of Bregenz House official at the House of Commons yesterday, marking the…
Castletownbere Lifeboat Rescues Motor Cruiser
#RESCUE – Castletownbere's All weather Lifeboat, the Severn Class Annette Hutton recently assisted an Aquador 32 motorboat with gearbox failure off Three Castle Head. There was a crew of 2 on board the cruiser. Footage (below) was taken from the…
Unconscious Man Rescued from Incoming Tide
#RESCUE – A lucky man was rescued from the estuarial mud at Penryndaedraeth this afternoon after he was found unconscious in the mud, with the tide coming in. He had been found lying in a muddy ditch in 10 inches…
Single Transport Safety Body Could Include Coastguard
#COASTGUARD – A critical review will be conducted into the feasibility of a single transport safety body, comprising the Road Safety Authority, the Railway Safety Commission and the Maritime Directorate that includes the Coastguard. The Maritime Safety Directorate (MSD) is…
Marine Notice: Drilling Off South Coast
#MARINE WARNING - The latest Marine Notice from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) advises that offshore drilling has commenced off the south coast. http://afloat.ie/safety/marine-warning/ The semi-submersible drilling unit Arctic III (callsign YJSU9) will be drilling some 65km…
Man Rescued from Sinking Boat at Galway Docks
#RESCUE - Galway Bay FM reports that a man was rescued from the Galway Docks last night after his boat started taking on water. http://www.afloat.ie/port-news/galway-harbour http://www.galwaynews.ie/22657-man-rescued-galway-docks http://www.afloat.ie/safety/rescue The Irish Coast Guard and Galway RNLI lifeboat were alerted and came to…
Fisherman on Spanish Boat Airlifted to Cork
#RESCUE - A fisherman on a Spanish vessel is in hospital after being airlifted from some 150 nautical miles southwest of Co Cork early yesterday, The Irish Times reports. http://www.afloat.ie/safety/rescue http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/1111/1224307372533.html The skipper of the fishing vessel Albelo Primero radioed…
RNLI Boss Calls to Sligo Station
#LIFEBOAT–Sligo Bay lifeboat station welcomed Lifeboat top brass to the West Coast of Ireland yesterday as part of a tour of Irish RNLI stations. The sun shone over Sligo Bay as Paul Bossier accompanied by his wife Susie with Martyn…
Campaign to Get Fishermen to Wear Lifejackets
Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), the Seafood Development Agency, Irish Water Safety (IWS), the statutory body established to promote water safety and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) are continuing their campaign to encourage more fishermen to wear their lifejackets at…
Man in Serious Condition After Falling Overboard Off Clare
#RESCUE - A man is thought to be seriously ill after falling overboard from a dinghy off Co Clare yesterday afternoon. http://afloat.ie/safety/rescue Breaking News reports that the individual was seen experiencing difficulty in the sea north of Kilkee, close to…
Green Light for Lough Ree Lifeboat
#LIFEBOATS – The RNLI in Ireland is to trial an inshore lifeboat on one of the biggest loughs on the River Shannon. At a recent meeting of the RNLI Board of Trustees the decision was taken to place an inshore…
Lifeboat Rescues Jet Skiers in Wicklow Harbour
#LIFEBOATS - The Wicklow People reports on the lifeboat rescue of two jet skiers at Wicklow Harbour last week. Wicklow RNLI was dispatched at 4.15pm last Thursday to the two men who were left stranded after one jet ski was…
NI First Minister Highlights Need for Local Knowledge Over Clyde Coastguard Closure Threat
Northern Ireland's First Minister has highlighted the need for local knowledge in light of the threatened closure of the Clyde coastguard station in Scotland. http://www.afloat.ie/safety/coastguard/ As previously reported by Afloat.ie, the control centre at Greenock is set to be scrapped…
Howth RNLI Names New Treasurer at AGM
David Sargent was named as the new treasurer of Howth RNLI at the lifeboat branch's AGM and awards event recently, The Irish Times reports. http://www.afloat.ie/resources/irish-ports/howth-harbour http://afloat.ie/resources/organisations/rnli-ireland/ http://www.afloat.ie/safety/lifeboats/ http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/1031/1224306801849.html Sargent succeeds Capt Peter McKenna, who served as treasurer for the last…
Crosshaven RNLI rescue Kayaker and Assist Another
Crosshaven RNLI lifeboat this afternoon (Sunday 23 Oct) rescued one person who had become capsized from his kayak within Cork Harbour. Conditions at the time were poor with 2m seas and Gale force 8 to 9 winds. A member of the…
Sailing Leagues Cancelled as Met Eireann Issues Weather Alert
As sailors felt the brunt of the weather this morning with the cancellation of Autumn leagues in Howth and Cork. Met Éireann issued a weather alert countrywide for this evening and Monday. It will be extremely windy - especially on…

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.