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AfloatDigi 2018 CHMarine SafetySection

Search & Rescue, Water Safety - News from the Marine Safety Agencies
Man Found Safe and Well
The man whom had been thought missing near Baltimore in West Cork has been located safe and well. All rescue services have been stood down. It is a reminder of the importance of letting people know where you are and…
Baltimore Lifeboat Search for Missing Man
The RNLI Inshore Lifeboat Bessie was called to assist in a search for a man who failed to make a pre-arranged meeting with a friend in Baltimore yesterday. The man had been camping on the Islands of Roaring Water Bay,…
Both Baltimore Lifeboats Launch on Rescue Missions
Both the all-weather lifeboat and inshore lifeboat based in Baltimore Harbour were called to give assistance on Saturday evening 19th June. The inshore lifeboat Bessie was called at 18:45 to standby a 58ft motor yacht that was disabled and adrift…
Recall for XM Liferaft Batch
Navimo have recalled a batch of XM liferafts due to mini-leaks that could affect the liferafts' performance. The problem is confined to a limited batch of XM liferafts manufactured in the Far East carrying part numbers 53871 to 53876. This…
Crosshaven RNLI Inshore Lifeboat Undertakes Long Distance Rescue
Crosshaven RNLI Inshore Lifeboat undertook one of their longest distance services when they were  tasked at 17.02 to a 10m Rib on passage from Falmouth to Baltimore, 12 miles south of Roches Point, when one of the crew suffered a suspected spinal…
Dun Laoghaire RNLI's New Inshore Lifeboat Gets First Rescue
Dun Laoghaire RNLI's new inshore lifeboat had its first service call-out last night when a couple became stranded at high-tide on the coast near Blackrock. Both were uninjured and were brought to safety by the three-person crew of the boat. The incident occurred…
Man Dragged from Capsized Dinghy at Newtownards Sailing Club
At around 11.45 this morning Belfast Coastguard received an urgent call for assistance to the Newtownards sailing club where four people were in difficulty, two of them children. One man is unconscious, and in a poor way. An upside down…
Communion Class visit Wicklow RNLI
Pupils from 2nd Class of Holy Rosary Girls Primary School visited Wicklow RNLI lifeboat Station on Thursday 10th June. They were greeted by some of the volunteer crew and given a tour of the boathouse and the 2 lifeboats on…
Ballycotton RNLI lifeboat assists 31 ft. yacht
Ballycotton lifeboat station received a request for assistance to a 31 ft. yacht with a fouled propeller 4 miles east of Ballycotton. The yacht, with two persons aboard, had left Crosshaven earlier when a rope wrapped around its propeller south…
Crosshaven Lifeboat Rescues 18-foot Yacht
Crosshaven RNLI Lifeboat went to the aid of an eighteen foot yacht on passage from the Kinsale area to Crosshaven this evening. The yacht with two persons on board suffered mechanical failure and was having trouble making way into a headwind. Initially,…
Portaferry RNLI officially name new Blue Peter V lifeboat and open lifeboat station
There was a double celebration in Portaferry, county Down yesterday (Saturday 5 June 2010) as the RNLI held the official opening ceremony for their newly built lifeboat station and the naming and dedication of their Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat Blue…
'Captain Calamity' Rescued Twice in Two Days
A lone sailor in the Irish Sea who was rescued south of Mumbles yesterday with no power and almost no safety equipment on board has just been rescued again after setting out for the second time and once again losing…
Coastguard holds man against rock until help arrives
Belfast Coastguard have been co-ordinating assistance to a man who fell into the sea by rocks near Bloody Bridge in Newcastle, County Down earlier this afternoon.  The first report was that the man had been fishing and was clinging on…
Safety Campaign Urges Three Steps to Drowning Prevention
1.    SWIM WHERE LIFEGUARDS PATROL - they're trained to keep you safe Warm summer trips to Ireland's waterways can be an accident waiting to happen if the proper precautions are not taken. One of the safest precautions people can take…
Exxon Mobil Survey off Kerry Coast
Oil exploration company Exxon Mobil will begin exploring underwater areas off Ireland's South West coast this June, with a three-week stint in the area planned. The area they will be surveying is close to recently-discovered areas of rare deep-water coral…
Swansea Lifeboat in Multiple Rescues
The warm weather has brought on a string of incidents for Swansea Coastguard, who this afternoon have co-ordinated several rescues, including three missing children, a capsized kayak and an injured jet-skier. Several resources in particular were sent by Swansea Coastguard…

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.