RNLI

16th August 2010

Three Die in Cruiser Fire off West Cork

Three men are dead and a fourth has been injured after a boat went on fire and sank off the West Cork coast this evening. It happened in waters south of Roundcarrig Lighthouse off Adrigole Harbour, Bantry Bay. It is understood a serious fire broke out on the 25-foot cruiser. The RNLI lifeboat went to the cruiser's rescue at 5.45pm. There is no information currently about the type of cruiser involved.

cruiseronfire

Photo: courtesy of Castletownbere lifeboat

A Coast Guard helicopter spotted the men in the water. The boat was on fire and sinking as they arrived.

The bodies of the three victims have been removed to hospital. It is understood all four men, who were in their 60s, were living in the Glengarriff area.

One of the victims is Irish and the other two men are from other European countries. A fourth man, who survived the incident, has also been taken to hospital.

The boat sank a short while later off Roancarrig, about seven miles from the fishing port. Conditions were calm at the time with some light fog in the bay, the spokeswoman said. Officials from the Marine Casualty Investigation Board will carry out an inquiry into the incident.
It is understood investigations will centre on whether an explosion in the engine caused the fire.

Press Release from RNLI:

Lifeboat crew with Castletownbere RNLI responded to a callout out this evening (Monday 16 August 2010) to a 25-foot cruiser on fire seven miles off the coast of Castletownbere, off Adrigole Harbour in Bantry Bay. The Shannon based Coast Guard helicopter was on scene and recovered four casualties from the water. Three were pronounced dead and one was taken to Cork University hospital for treatment.

The Castletownbere all weather lifeboat was requested to launch at 17.41 hrs in calm conditions. On arrival at the scene the lifeboat volunteers witnessed the vessel on fire and the CG helicopter was recovering the casualties from the water. The Shannon based helicopter had been out on a callout and was in the area. The lifeboat was designated on scene commander and stayed on scene until the burning cruiser sank.

Published in Rescue

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15th August 2010

Welsh Coastguards Carry Out Two Irish Sea Evacuations

A three year old boy and a commercial seaman have both been evacuated from two separate vessels due to medical problems yesterday afternoon.

Milford Haven Coastguard was contacted at just before 4.00 pm to report that a child had been taken ill onboard the roll-on-roll-off ferry Stena Europe. The vessel was 13 nautical miles west of Strumble Head. The boy was being attended to by a doctor and two nurses onboard the ferry who, after discussion with doctors at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, advised that the boy needed to be taken off the vessel. Rescue helicopter 122 from RAF Valley was scrambled and the boy was airlifted to Withybush Hospital.

The little boy and his family were on their way home to Ireland when the child was taken ill, says Graham Warlow, Milford Haven Coastguard Watch Manager. We wish him a speedy recovery.

At the same time that the Stena Europe was in contact with Milford Haven Coastguard, the merchant vessel Marida Melissa contacted Holyhead Coastguard to report that they had their own medical emergency onboard. One of their seafarers, an Indian national, had become ill, and after discussions with doctors it was decided that the best course of action would be to evacuate him to hospital. However, the rescue helicopter was already needed for the ill child on the ferry and so Moelfre RNLI lifeboat was requested to launch with paramedics onboard.

We dont normally use lifeboats for medical evacuations but in this case, the child had to take priority, says Barry Priddis, Holyhead Coastguard Watch Manager. When the lifeboat crew arrived at the vessel, which was anchored off Moelfre, they assessed the scene and reported back to us that they were confident that they could evacuate the ill man off of the ship safely. The man was carefully lifted on to the lifeboat then taken back into Moelfre, where he was lifted into an awaiting ambulance, then on to hospital.

Published in Coastguard

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13th August 2010

Lough Derg Lifeboat Assists 3 People on 'Engine Failure' Vessel

At 20.55hrs last night, Derg RNLI lifeboat was requested to launch to assist three persons on board a 43ft motor cruiser which had suffered engine failure. The lifeboat with helm Eleanor Hooker, Deirdre Kenny and Ruth Spillane on board, launched at 21.00hrs. Winds were north-westerly, Force 4, gusting 5. Visibility was initially fair with fading light. The lifeboat was alongside the casualty vessel at 21.18hrs and found all passengers to be safe and unharmed. They were requested to put on their lifejackets. The vessel had dropped anchor to prevent being pushed onto the rocky shore. Once a tow was set up, the vessel weighed anchor and was taken to the safety of the public harbour in Dromineer, where the lifeboat Deputy Launching Authority Fergal Kerney and RNLI crew members Ciaran Murphy, Ger Ahern and Dom Sharkey were waiting to take lines to assist moor the boat.

The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 23.00hrs

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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12th August 2010

Launch of Helensburgh Lifeboat following capsized dinghy

At 6.27pm on Wednesday 11 August 2010 Clyde Coastguard instructed the launch of Helensburgh RNLI Lifeboat after they were advised that a dinghy had capsized off the Helensburgh sea front and that there were two children in the water; the adult with them appeared to be having difficulty righting the dinghy.

While the inshore lifeboat (ILB) was proceeding to the scene, Clyde Coastguard advised that a passing RIB had taken the children ashore however the adult was still trying to right the dinghy. At 6.37pm the ILB was on scene where the crew helped to right the boat; this was complicated by the fact that the mast was stuck in the mud.Once 'unstuck', the dinghy was towed back to Helensburgh Pier by the ILB. The ILB then returned to base.

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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9th August 2010

Tamar-Class Lifeboat Visits Irish Waters

The Tamar-class lifeboat is the latest in a series of high-tech craft within the RNLI lifeboat fleet and in use throughout the UK. The class is named after the River Tamar, Cornwall and like other lifeboats, they are named after large rivers, writes Jehan Ashmore.

To date 17 Tamar-class boats have been commissioned for the lifesaving institution. Some of the Tamar class fleet are constructed exclusively for the purposes of providing relief-duties across the extensive network of stations. One of these relief lifeboats, RNLB Frank and Ann Wilkinson (16-06) arrived at Dun Laoghaire on 17 July. The relief Tamar's transit took two-days to reach the harbour from the RNLI's headquarters based at Poole. The lifeboat called at Plymouth for bunkers and made an overnight stay at Penlee prior to arriving at Dun Laoghaire, where another fuel-stop was undertaken.

The craft carried-out training exercises in Dublin Bay, which included a couple of trainees from the Dun Laoghaire lifeboat crew. The Tamar class lifeboat was in Irish waters primarly to cater for other station crews within the divisional staff training programme. There are no Tamar-class lifeboats operating in Irish waters, at present, though the RNLI have plans to introduce the class.

Tamar

Tamar-class relief lifeboat RNLI Frank and Ann Wilkinson (16-06) nearing Dun Laoghaire. Photo © Jehan Ashmore/ShipSNAPS

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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8th August 2010

Red Bay RNLI Rescue brother and sister off Fair Head Rocks in County Antrim

County Antrim's Red Bay Lifeboat crew launched this evening (Saturday 7 August 2010) to rescue a brother and sister who had got into difficulty in the Boulder Field on Fair Head rocks on the North Antrim Coast. This is the first callout for Red Bay's new Atlantic 85 lifeboat Geoffrey Charles.

The call for help was received at 18.25 this evening when the siblings went walking in the Boulder field and got into difficulty. The Red Bay lifeboat was launched and in a heavy swell manoeuvred close to the rocks. One of the volunteer lifeboat crew then swam from the lifeboat onto the rocks with another crewmember's drysuit and a lifejacket. He then assisted the casualties one at a time using a rope.

Under difficult conditions the two casualties were recovered onto the lifeboat and landed at Ballycastle. No further medical attention was needed. Commenting on the rescue Red Bay RNLI helm Paddy McLaughlin said, " Although people like to walk in this scenic area of North Antrim it can be a very dangerous spot. This was a successful first callout for our new lifeboat and the two people are recovering well from their ordeal."

The new lifeboat was only put on station less than a fortnight ago. It has a number of improvements on its predecessor including a faster top speed of 35 knots; radar; provision for a fourth crew member and more space for survivors. It can operate safely in daylight in up to force 7 conditions and at night in up to force 6, it is also capable of being beached in an emergency.

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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7th August 2010

Cold Swimmer Rescued in Portrush Harbour

A teenager was rescued from Portrush Harbour after a very cold swim out to a moored boat to collect some fishing gear.

After swimming across the harbour to the moored boat the teenager called for help. Belfast Coastguard co-ordinated the rescue and sent the Portrush ILB Lifeboat and the Coleraine Coastguard Rescue team to the scene.

The Portrush lifeboat took the teenager from the boat to the pontoon where he received first aid from the Coastguard Rescue team before being transferred to hospital by ambulance.

Belfast Coastguard Watch Manager Alan Pritchard said:
"It may be summer but the sea is chilly and the cold can seriously affect swimmers.
"If you are going to take a dip please know you're limits and remember cold water shock can be dangerous, even if you're young and fit and think you're able."

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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5th August 2010

Fenit Lifeboat Recover Injured Woman from Great Blasket Island

At 03.41 this morning (Thursday 5 August 2010) Fenit RNLI lifeboat crew were requested to launch by Valentia Coast Guard to go to the assistance of a woman injured on the Great Blasket Island. The woman had fallen and sustained injuries to her leg and the Fenit RNLI all weather lifeboat was launched to recover her from the island and bring her ashore to Dingle to a waiting ambulance.

With no slipway or pier on the island and extremely shallow water at the landing point, the only way for the lifeboat crew to access the island was by launching the XP boat (a small inflatable boat carried onboard the lifeboat)

Four crew members went onto the island and made their way to the woman's house which was almost half a mile in and about 600 feet above sea level. The task was made more difficult due to the fact that the ground was extremely wet and slippery.

The woman was placed on a stretcher and carried back down the hill by the RNLI Fenit Lifeboat crew members. The stretcher was then placed across the xp boat and transferred to the lifeboat by the crew.

Commenting on the incident JP Brick of Fenit RNLI said, " This was a challenging callout for the lifeboat crew. The remote location made it difficult to access the island. The lifeboat crew needed to take a stretcher with them for the casualty and then return down the slippery terrain to the waiting XP boat. From there they travelled out to the waiting lifeboat and transferred the casualty onboard. This is where lifeboat crew training and equipment comes to the fore and the medivac was completed successfully."

On medical advice the casualty was brought to Dingle Marina where she was collected by ambulance and transferred to Tralee General Hospital

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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2nd August 2010

Lough Derg Lifeboat Assists Vessel Aground

This afternoon at 15.47hrs, Lough RNLI Derg lifeboat Toshiba Wave Warrior launched to assist eight persons on board a 31ft cruiser aground on Lough Derg.

At 15.30hrs on Monday afternoon August 2, Derg RNLI lifeboat was requested to launch following a sighting of a vessel aground off Crane Island close to Church Bay on the south-western shore of Lough Derg. The lifeboat with helm Eleanor Hooker, Peter Clark and Colin Knight on board, launched at 15.47hrs. Winds were south-westerly, Force 2 to 3. The lifeboat was alongside the casualty vessel at 15.58hrs and found all passengers to be safe and unharmed. They were asked to put on their lifejackets. The RNLI Lifeboat Training Officer, Fergal Kerney was afloat at the time and stood-by to reassure the persons on board until the lifeboat arrived. A RNLI crew member climbed aboard the cruiser and after he established that the vessel was not holed or damaged, it was taken off the rocks and towed out into safe water, where another check of steering and rudder was carried out. The cruiser then continued on its journey.

Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, Charles Stanley-Smith commended the "the swift response the lifeboat crew and the professional manner in which the rescue was carried out".

The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 16.40hrs

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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29th July 2010

Majority of Lifejackets Fail Lifeboat Test

Over 90% of lifejackets tested at Ireland's two biggest sailing centres failed simple checks carried out by the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) last week writes Irish Times Sailing Columnist David O'Brien.

From 91 jackets tested in Cork and Dublin, 83 failed a free inspection.

The annual Lifejacket check service carried out by the institute was only taken up by 40 sailors from an estimated 1,000 competing crews at Cork week. 35 failed the test.

In Dun Laoghaire, last Saturday the RNLI offered the service again prior to Dublin Bay racing, where the total fleet is over 300 boats, the country's biggest sailing centre. 51 from a possible 2500 lifejackets were checked. Only three were deemed ok.

There were several different reasons for the failures including rusty or out of date inflation capsules but the bulk were rejected because jackets were not fitted with crotch straps. "It is the RNLI opinion these lifejackets may not work to their full potential because they may not keep the wearer's airway above water", says the RNLI's Kevin Rahill.

It's an important point so it is a wonder how lifejackets can be sold without them. What is not explained though is why so few sailors took up the free check or why nearly half the lifejackets presented had out of date capsules?

There is little doubt there has been an increased use of lifejackets in recent years but as last weeks survey shows it's equally important to know the lifejacket you are wearing actually works if you end up in the water.

RNLI Lifejacket Checks

Crosshaven:

LJs Checked 40
Ok 5
No Crotch Strap 18
OOD Capsule 22
OOD Hammar 1
Mk 3 Head 1
Rusty Cyl 2
Slack or Cyl out 4
Fired 3
Condemned (evidence of severe damage to fabric, mechanism etc) 1

Dun Laoghaire:

LJs Checked 51
Ok 3
No Crotch Strap 30
OOD Capsule 21
OOD Hammar 9
Mk 3 Head 1
Rusty Cyl 4
Slack or Cyl out 2
Fired 1
Condemned (evidence of severe damage to fabric, mechanism etc) 5

Since this article first appeared in the Irish Times on Friday, July 27 plans are afoot to test Lifejackets again in Dun Laoghaire in August or September.

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