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AfloatDigi 2018 CHMarine SafetySection

Search & Rescue, Water Safety - News from the Marine Safety Agencies
Wicklow RNLI's all-weather and inshore lifeboats
#RNLI - Both Wicklow RNLI lifeboats launched yesterday afternoon (Sunday 24 September) to assist a swimmer in difficulty at Brittas Bay. The Dublin-based Irish Coast Guard rescue helicopter, the local coastguard shore unit and an ambulance crew were also tasked…
The PV Mary Ann of Dunloe, pictured here, was carrying its maximum of 12 passengers with four bicycles at the time of the incident
#MCIB - Marine investigators have highlighted a series of poor practices in their report into the flooding of a small passenger ferry on Lough Leane last September. Twelve passengers and the boat’s master were tipped into the water when the…
Arranmore RNLI tows the crabbing boat with four on board
#RNLI - Arranmore RNLI was called to give assistance to a crabbing boat which got into difficulty off Arranmore on Tuesday (19 September). The all-weather lifeboat was alerted at 4pm when the 60-tonne, 15m vessel with four crew on board suffered…
Coastguard Chief Speaks Of Sorrow Over Lost Colleagues Ahead Of Return From EU Secondment
#Coastguard - Irish Coast Guard director Chris Reynolds has paid tribute to the lives lost in the Rescue 116 and Kilkee tragedies ahead of his return from secondment in Somalia. “The Coast Guard has lost five colleagues to accident and…
Skerries RNLI’s volunteer crew members observe the fire on shore
#RNLI - Skerries RNLI launched on Thursday evening (14 September) after the Irish Coast Guard received a number of calls reporting a vessel on fire north of Balbriggan. The lifeboat was tasked with volunteer Conor Walsh at the helm and…
Galway RNLI's inshore lifeboat on exercise
#RNLI - Two people are recovering after being rescued by Galway RNLI when the tide trapped them on Hare Island, as the Connacht Tribune reports. The lifeboat launched at 6.41pm yesterday evening (Wednesday 13 September) to reports from passers-by on Renmore beach…
Clare County Council employs 32 full-time lifeguards to cover Clare's 9 Blue Flag and 2 Green Coast beaches during the Summer season
An astonishing 14 accidents per hour were avoided at Clare's nine Blue Flag and two Green Coast beaches by the intervention of Lifeguards with bathers who went into the water at known dangerous bathing locations or who knowingly or unknowingly…
Larne RNLI volunteer crew member Fiona Kirkpatrick and fundraiser Alison Ford-Hutchinson meet Prince Harry
#RNLI - Two couples who volunteer with Larne RNLI were chosen to represent the Co Antrim lifeboat station at the recent Hillsborough Garden Party where HRH Prince Harry was special guest. Lifeboat crew Fiona and Barry Kirkpatrick attended the event…
Caitriona Lucas was a volunteer with Doolin Coast Guard
#MCIB - An official investigation into the death of coastguard volunteer Caitriona Lucas remains ongoing, as the Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) confirms. Lucas, a volunteer for the Irish Coast Guard’s Doolin unit, died on 12 September 2016 during a…
Team Ireland return home with a total of 29 medals from the European Championships in Belgium. Athletes won 7 gold, 15 silver and 7 bronze over 15 different events with our Youth Team placing 6th and the Open Team 8th overall out of 19 teams
Ireland’s top Lifesavers have won seven gold medals at the European Lifesaving Championships in Belgium. The Championships simulate real-life rescue situations that Lifeguards encounter and pits the best Lifesavers from around Europe against each other in a series of gruelling…
A Union Hall lifeboat volunteer boards the wayward yacht to establish a tow
#RNLI - Union Hall RNLI was requested to launch yesterday afternoon (Sunday 10 September) at 4.21pm by Valentia Coast Guard to reports of a yacht that had broken from its mooring in Glandore Harbour and was heading for rocks. Weather…
Wicklow’s all-weather lifeboat RNLB Annie Blaker launches to assist the yacht with a snapped forestay
#RNLI - Wicklow RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat launched shortly before 6pm on Saturday evening (9 September) to assist a 13m yacht in difficulties off the Wicklow coast. The yacht was on passage from Wales to Ireland when the forestay snapped on…
Fall From Helicopter Winch ‘Unlikely’ To Have Led To Death In Hook Head Rescue Tragedy
#Coastguard - The Irish Coast Guard crew winching two teenagers from the sea when one fell from her harness had never lifted two casualties at the same time before, as BreakingNews.ie reports. Aoife Winterlich, 14, was one of four teenagers…
The Eric Rowse takes the stricken cruiser under tow to safe harbour at Coosan Point
#RNLI - Lough Ree RNLI were called to assist five people aboard a 20ft motor cruiser which had lost power and was drifting towards Nun’s Island yesterday afternoon (Saturday 9 September). The crew of inshore lifeboat The Eric Rowse were…
Wind predictions for Galway on Sunday evening show gusts over 50mph
The Coast Guard advises caution to public as Met Éireann warns of heavy swell on Atlantic Coast later on Sunday. Members of the public have been urged to heed the advice of the Coast Guard as Met Éireann has issued…
Photographer Jack Lowe visits his first Irish lifeboat station at Dunmore East
#RNLI - More than two years ago, Jack Lowe began an ambitious project to photograph every RNLI station with a Victorian-era camera. Now, having already photographed 88 of the 238 lifeboat stations in these islands, Jack Lowe has finally arrived…

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.