#RNLI - Skerries RNLI volunteers launched their Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat on Saturday afternoon (23 July) after Dublin Coast Guard received a call from a concerned member of public about a swimmer in difficulty.

The lifeboat launched shortly after 12.30pm with Philip Ferguson at helm and crewed by Emma Wilson, Steven Johnson and AJ Hughes, after a swimmer was reported having difficulty returning to shore at the swimming area known locally as The Captains.

Within minutes the lifeboat was on scene, but there was no sign of any swimmers in the area. Before a search could be started Dublin Coast Guard received a second call to confirm that the swimmer had made it ashore and was safe and well. The lifeboat was stood down and returned to station.

Speaking after the callout, Skerries RNLI lifeboat press officer Gerry Canning said: :The member of the public who called Dublin Coast Guard was genuinely concerned for the swimmer and was right to make the call.

"Thankfully in this case our assistance wasn’t required, but our volunteer crew are always ready to respond to anyone in difficulty at sea."

The callout came two days after the Skerries lifeboat rescued four men from a speedboat grounded on rocks at Colt Island, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

#RNLI - At 7:30am yesterday morning (Saturday 23 July), Bangor RNLI was requested by HM Coastguard to attend a boat off Carrickfergus in Belfast Lough, following the firing of a red distress flare.

On arrival at the scene, the volunteer crew were able to confirm that the boat, with two men on board, had fired the flare.

The men had left Carrickfergus early yesterday evening in calm conditions, but then suffered the loss of their main engine, followed by the failure of the auxiliary outboard.

After several hours trying to fix the problem without success, and with no working mobile phone or radio, they decided to wait until morning to fire a flare to attract attention.

The crew quickly rigged up a line between the stricken vessel and the Bangor lifeboat Jessie Hillyard, and towed them to Carrickfergus Marina. Just outside the marina they tied the motorboat alongside for better manoeuvrability in the close confines of the marina.

Bangor RNLI helm Gareth Whan said: “The crew and I are happy to have brought these men to safety, after what must have been a fairly miserable night for them on board a boat with no power in Belfast Lough.

“Incidents like this highlight the importance of ensuring your engines are in good working order, and the need to have a reliable way of calling for help if things go wrong.

"Luckily for them, the weather stayed good overnight, and the flare was spotted this morning.”

Previously the Bangor lifeboat was called out to rescue boys trapped on rocks while fishing last weekend, as reported on Afloat.ie.

While out on a weekly lifeboat exercise Rosslare RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew were called out by the Coast Guard to two separate incidents.

The first incident, which occurred close to the Burrow point at Rosslare Strand, involved a small dog that had run across mud flats heading for the open sea. Rosslare Harbour lifeboat deployed its daughter boat and two volunteer lifeboat crew quickly located the dog and a local man who had gone to help. Both man and dog were found to be safe and made their way back to land. The two RNLI volunteers returned to the lifeboat and immediately were tasked to assist a yacht which had suffered mechanical failure.

Due to very calm conditions, the yacht was unable to continue its journey and requested assistance. Rosslare Harbour lifeboat reached the yacht, located a few miles southeast of Carnesore Point, off the Wexford coast. A tow established and the eight-metre yacht was brought towards Kilmore Quay where the RNLI all-weather lifeboat stationed at Kilmore Quay took over the tow and brought the yacht to safety.
Sea conditions were calm and with visibility fair.

Speaking after the incident Rosslare RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer Jamie Ryan stressed the dangers of going to the aid of animals. He said, ‘People can put themselves in great danger. It is always advisable to contact the emergency services first when a pet or animal gets into difficulty. We all love our animals and we want to help them safely but we don’t want to see owners put their own lives at risk doing it. The RNLI volunteers had a long day at sea but thankfully both incidents were resolved satisfactorily.’

#RNLI - Skerries RNLI launched yesterday afternoon (Thursday 21 July) after Dublin Coast Guard received a call from a vessel that had suffered engine failure near the islands off the North Co Dublin coastal town.

The lifeboat launched shortly after 4.30pm and proceeded to the general area indicated by the casualty vessel.

Arriving on scene, the volunteer crew spotted the speedboat, which had been pushed on to the rocks at Colt Island by the wind and tide. At the time there was a Force 3-4 south-westerly wind and a slight swell.

The lifeboat was carefully positioned to transfer a crew member to the casualty vessel. A tow was established and the boat, with four men on board, was towed clear of the rocks into safer water.

Upon inspection there did not appear to be any major damage to the hull so the tow was continued, returning them safely to Skerries Harbour.

Speaking after the callout, Skerries RNLI lifeboat press officer Gerry Canning said: "Thankfully the lifeboat reached them quickly as the situation was deteriorating quite quickly.

"However, all four were wearing lifejackets and crucially they were able to contact the shore for help."

#RNLI - It was just a routine exercise for Bangor RNLI's volunteer lifeboat crew on Sunday night (17 July) until they got the call to rescue two young boys who were cut off by a rising tide while fishing at The Long Hole on Belfast Lough.

With assistance from HM Coastguard, the lifeboat was able to rescue the boys and return them safely to Bangor Marina.

Bangor RNLI volunteer lifeboat press officer Peter Semple said: "The crew and I were delighted to be able to put their training to use, particularly in such a rocky part of the coast.

"Although the boys were in no immediate danger, and their only concern after we got them back to dry land was that they got their fishing rods back, it is important for parents to explain the risks of being caught by a rising tide."

Bangor's lifeboat crew on this callout were helm Peter Semple with Dave Beale, Kat Lindsay and Alison Stobie.

#RNLI - Red Bay RNLI was paged at 6am this morning (Wednesday 20 July) to go to the aid of a 40ft yacht, with two people on board, after the vessel suffered engine failure and was unable to move.

The sailors were on passage from Scotland to Isle of Man when they got into difficulty some three miles east of Red Bay in Co Antrim.

With dense fog in the area, Belfast Coastguard requested the launch of the Red Bay all-weather lifeboat to tow the vessel to safety – and all safely arrived into Cushendall by 8.30am.

#RNLI - Both Wicklow RNLI lifeboats launched on Monday afternoon (Monday 18 July) after the Irish Coast Guard received a report of a capsized boat drifting off Greystones.

The inshore lifeboat was first on scene and located the upturned Laser yacht, drifting south of Greystones Harbour.

The crew began an immediate search of the area in case there might be casualties in the water.

Weather conditions in the area were described as wind direction south Force 4 with a moderate sea state, and visibility was good.

During the search by both lifeboats, a call was received from the coastguard to say two people had been taken from the capsized boat by a sailing club tender and were landed safely at Greystones.

The tender then made its way back out to recover the overturned yacht. The inshore lifeboat crew assisted with righting the capsized boat and escorted the tender and the Laser yacht into Greystones before returning to Wicklow.

Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat launched at 10.20pm yesterday evening to assist seven young people on board a 15ft–RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) with engine difficulties near Coolbawn Quay, on the eastern shore of Lough Derg.

Winds were westerly, Force 3, visibility was poor, with imminent nightfall.

At 10.30pm the lifeboat, with helm Peter Clarke, Eleanor Hooker and Keith Brennan on board, located the vessel by Illaunmor. The seven people on board were unharmed, but feeling chilled and were wrapped in towels. Survivor lifejackets were distributed to those who had none. An RNLI volunteer boarded the RIB and one of the casualties was taken onto the lifeboat. The lifeboat towed the RIB with her passengers to Dromineer.

Peter Clarke, Helm at Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat, advises lake users to ‘respect the water, to carry enough lifejackets for everyone on board and to ensure they wear them, and to regularly service their boat’s engines’.

The Lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 11.40pm

#RNLI - Fethard RNLI launched yesterday afternoon (Monday 18 July) for the second time in 24 hours, to a report of four people in difficulty due to dense fog at Woodstown Strand.

The Irish Coast Guard received a report that a party of four may have got into difficulty in the water as intense fog set in on the Co Waterford beach. The Fethard lifeboat launched from Duncannon in a light southerly Force 2 breeze with calm seas.

Arriving at Woodstown, the volunteer crew commenced a search north of the strand, incorporating a land search of the surrounding caves. Volunteer RNLI shore crew also attended at the strand and carried out search on the strand.

At 3.15pm, Fethard RNLI was stood down on notification from the Irish Coast Guard that all members were safely ashore and well.

Speaking following the callout, Fethard RNLI lifeboat helm Eoin Bird said: "We would like commend the member of the public who raised the alarm today when they were concerned.

"Our volunteers responded quickly this afternoon to aid in the search and we are delighted that all had been located safe and well."

Less than a day before the Fethard lifeboat was called out to assist a RIB with a fouled propeller off the strand, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

In a dramatic rescue on Whiterocks beach at Portrush in County Antrim yesterday three RNLI lifeguards rescued two body boarders from rocks. In waves that reached well over head height the lifeguards launched their Rescue Water Craft and brought the two men to safety. The rescue occurred during one of the hottest days of the year which brought hundreds of people to the coast to enjoy the good weather.

The alarm was raised at 4.30pm when a member of the public contacted RNLI Lifeguard Stephen Parish to say that two body boarders where trapped at the mouth of a cave at the east end of the beach. Steven and his two colleagues on duty, Ali Boyd and Bosco McAuley, were finishing an exercise when the call for help was made and they immediately swung into action.

RNLI lifeguard Ali Boyd drove the Rescue Water Craft while Bosco McAuley accompanied him as crew. They proceeded to the scene some 500 metres offshore where a heavy swell made it impossible to bring the rescue craft close to the trapped pair. With the waves breaking over the men’s heads, the lifeguards waited until there was a lull in the set before Bosco jumped into the water and swam to the rocks. The first man went into the water and was brought by Bosco to the waiting rescue craft. The three of them immediately returned to shore before the two lifeguards headed straight back to the scene to recover the second casualty.

By this time the second man was showing signs of exhaustion and the lifeguards kept a tight hold of him as they recovered him, with Bosco once again swimming out to him while Ali kept the rescue water craft close-by, circling to ensure he stayed clear of the waves and avoided the rocks.

When back on shore both men were brought to the Lifeguard hut and were administered casualty care.

Commenting on the callout RNLI lifeguard Bosco McAuley said, ‘It was a busy day on the beach yesterday and we are always conscious that there can be things happening anywhere at anytime. We had just finished an exercise and were able to launch the Rescue Water Craft immediately. Despite the warm day, the sea swell was huge with massive waves breaking over the heads of the body boarders as they waited on rocks. They had managed to scramble on these rocks when they got into difficulty and were able to wait for help. This was a rescue where every second counted and thankfully these two men are now home safe and well.’