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AfloatDigi 2018 CHMarine SafetySection

Search & Rescue, Water Safety - News from the Marine Safety Agencies
Wicklow Lifeboat Rescues Swimmer Off Brides Head
#RNLI - Wicklow RNLI rescued a male swimmer who got into difficulty yesterday afternoon (Thursday 4 September). The rescue followed a request from the Irish Coast Guard for the volunteer lifeboat crew to search for a missing swimmer at Silver Strand…
Lough Derg Lifeboat Called to Boat with Damaged Driveshaft After Hitting Rock
#rnli – Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat launched to assist two people on board a 40ft cruiser, adrift by Crow Island, south of the Scilly Islands on Lough Derg yesterday. On Wednesday afternoon, September 3, Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg…
Union Hall RNLI – The 45th Lifeboat Station in Ireland is Now Operational
#rnli – The RNLI's 45th lifeboat station in Ireland has officially been put on service at Union Hall for a trial period of two years. The station boat is now a declared search and rescue asset based at Keelbeg Pier…
Baltimore Lifeboat Aids Drifting Fishing Boat
#RNLI - Baltimore RNLI launched within minutes of being alerted to a drifting fishing boat off Yokane Point, west of the Stags in West Cork. The two men on board the 30-foot motorboat had set out for a peaceful day's…
Courtmacsherry Completes 31–Mile Tow of Broken Down Fishing Vessel
#rnli – The Courtmacsherry RNLI Lifeboat completed its tow of the 33 ft–Fishing Vessel 'Michelle' back to the pier in Courtmacsherry after earlier today going to its rescue 31 miles offshore near the Kinsale Head Gas Fields. The four hour…
Skerries Lifeboat Tows Five To Safety
#RNLI - Skerries RNLI towed a group of four adults and one child safely to shore after their motorboat developed engine difficulties. Skerries RNLI volunteer crew launched their Atlantic 85 lifeboat Louis Simson shortly after 4.30pm yesterday afternoon (Monday 1…
Kinsale Lifeboat Crew Called Out Four Times in Three Days
#rnli – Volunteer crew of Kinsale RNLI were called out on four separate occasions over a three-day period last week. On Thursday 28 August at 12.44pm, Miss Sally Ann (Baggy) went to the aid of pleasure craft, The Spirit of Kinsale,…
Lough Swilly RNLI to Get First €2.4M Shannon Class Lifeboat in Ireland
#rnli – The RNLI has today announced that Lough Swilly lifeboat station in Buncrana, County Donegal is to be the first in Ireland to receive the new Shannon class lifeboat. The €2.4M lifeboat is the first class of lifeboat to…
Search for Missing Boy off Holyhead
#coastguard – Coastguards are this afternoon searching for a 12-year-old boy who is believed to have been swept out to sea at Aberffraw. Holyhead Coastguard received a 999 call at around 12.30 this lunchtime reporting that three people were stuck…
Marine Notice: 3D Seismic Survey In Porcupine Basin, September 2014
#MarineNotice - The latest Marine Notice from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DDTTAS) advises that Polarcus DMCC is scheduled to carry out a 3D seismic survey in the Porcupine Basin, southwest coast of Ireland, in early September. The…
Courtmacsherry Lifeboat Tows Kinsale Passenger Vessel with 30 Onboard Back to Shore
#rnli – Courtmacsherry RNLI All Weather Lifeboat was called out at 12.36 this afternoon to go to the aid of a 46 ft Passenger Pleasure boat which encountered difficulties off Kinsale Harbour by Charles Fort. The Lifeboat with a crew…
Join In The Fun At Howth Lifeboat Open Day This Sunday
#RNLI - For a free, fun, family day out, look no further than Howth this Sunday 31 August for the annual Open Day at Howth RNLI. Between 2pm and 5pm the public can meet the volunteer crew, see the lifeboats…
Clogherhead Lifeboat Crewman Rescues Two After Fishing Boat Sinks
#RNLI - A lifeboat crewmember from Clogherhead RNLI has been praised for his swift actions in rescuing two men from a fishing vessel that sank at the weekend. Sean Flanagan and his son were fishing approximately two miles away from…
Howth Lifeboat Brings Two Motorboats To Safety As Busy Season Continues
#RNLI - Howth RNLI had a busy start to the weekend, towing two motorboats to safety in separate incidents between Friday night and Saturday morning. Pagers sounded at 7.15pm on Friday evening (22 August) with a launch request for the…
Crosshaven RNLI Lifeboat Searches for Missing Power boat
#corkharbour – A major rescue operation swung into action early yesterday after reports of a speedboat crashing into a channel marker buoy en route from Cork city to Crosshaven. Crosshaven lifeboat were paged at 45 minutes past midnight yesterday morning…
Galway Lifeboat Rescues Three From Vessel Adrift Off Barna
#RNLI - Galway RNLI came to the rescue of two men and a child whose boat got into difficulty off Barna Pier in Galway Bay yesterday afternoon (Friday 22 August). The 18ft bayliner was about half a mile off Barna…

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.