Displaying items by tag: accident
Limerick Rower Sheehan in Critical Condition After Fall
#Rowing: Limerick rower Ailish Sheehan (23) is in critical condition after a fall after she had competed at the World University Rowing Championships in Poznan, Poland.
Sheehan apparently fell on a footpath when celebrating taking a bronze medal while competing with the Britain team. With crewmates Rebecca Edwards, Annie Withers and Gillian Cooper, she finished third in the women’s four.
Sheehan, from St Michael’s rowing club, had rowed in an Ireland four at the World Under-23 Rowing Championships in 2013 with Lisa Dilleen, Emily Tormey and Aifric Keogh. They finished fourth.
She had won a scholarship to Notre Dame in the United States in 2011 and completed a degree there in design. She stroked the Notre Dame crew to sixth in the Head of the Charles in 2014. She returned and moved to Britain and switched to the British system.
Irish Tourist Dies After Houseboat Fall In Australia
An Irish tourist has died after a fall from a houseboat in Australia earlier today (Saturday 23 January), as RTÉ News reports.
The 27-year-old man, who has not yet been named, is understood to have fallen from the top deck of the houseboat on the Murray River between New South Wales and Victoria, and may have hit his head as he fell.
RTÉ News has more on the story HERE.
Sutton Dinghy Club Settles With Former Instructor Over Finger Incident
#SuttonDC - A former sailing instructor has settled her case against Sutton Dinghy Club over an incident in which she lost a finger.
As The Irish Times reports, representatives for Hannah Fitzsimons alleged that she had been "required to carry out an unsafe activity and was caused or permitted use a dangerous or unsafe method for towing boats in difficulty".
The claim stemmed from the incident on 11 August 2011 in which her left ring finger was amputated while she was towing a dinghy by hand in waters adjacent to the clubhouse.
An accomplished musician, the Sutton woman said the accident had forced her to give up on plans to be a music teacher and rendered her unable to play the flute or the piano.
The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.
MCIB Publish Fatal Powerboat Accident Report on Lough Derg
#powerboat accident – The Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) has released details of a fatal powerboat accident near Garrykennedy on Lough Derg from 2012.
On the morning of 2nd August 2012, Mr Patrick Danaher purchased fuel for his powerboat at New Line, Killaloe.
That evening, the boat was seen floating partially submerged and overturned with the bow out of the water near Youghal Bay, Lough Derg. Afloat.ie's news report at the time of the capsize is here.
The boat had struck submerged rocks at high speed and suffered major damage to the outdrive allowing the free ingress of water into the boat.
The boat was recovered that evening and Mr Danaher's body was recovered from the lake the following day.
In its conclusions the MCIB said the boat and its machinery were in good condition and did not contribute to the incident.
The displacement of the outdrive port side pivot pin was not significant in the incident.
At the time of the incident the boat was being driven at high speed close to the shoreline.
The post mortem results show that the ethanol levels in Mr Danaher's blood and urine were within the toxic range. However, the influence of alcohol may have affected his ability to:
• effectively apply his local knowledge and experience
• make rational decisions in respect of the speed of the boat and its course
• recognise the danger of driving the boat in such close proximity to the small headland and the submerged rocks adjacent to the headland.
Mr Danaher did bring the control lever to the neutral position and shut down the engine at the time of the incident.
The full report is downloadable here as a PDF file.
Search Ends for Missing Sailors in San Francisco Yacht Tragedy
#MISSING SAILORS - The US Coast Guard last night suspended its search for four yacht crew members - including two Irish sailors - who went missing after what's being described as San Francisco's worst ever sailing accident, Fox News reports.
Petty Officer Caleb Critchfield told the Associated Press: "There's a window of survivability and we searched well beyond that window."
Boats and aircraft had combed over 5,000 square miles of ocean in a marathon 30-hour operation before the search was halted at sunset last night. It is not expected to resume.
As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the missing include Irish yachtsmen Alan Cahill, originally from Blarney in Co Cork, and his friend Elmer Morrissey, who had moved to the US for work only last year, according to friends and colleagues on Facebook.
The two men, along with fellow crew Jordan Fromm, Alexis Busch and Marc Kasanin, were thrown into the frigid water after their 38-foot yacht Low Speed Chase ran aground at the Farallon Islands, some 25 miles off the coast of San Francisco in northern California.
Three other crewmembers, including the boat's owner and skipper James Bradford, were rescued from the rocks shortly after the incident. The body of Kasanin, 45, was recovered from the water hours later.
The boat had been competing in the Full Crew Farallones Race with 40 other yachts between San Francisco and the islands when the tragedy occurred.
Known for its rough conditions with 14-foot swells and winds of up to 20 knots, the near-century old tradition has "never been for the faint of heart".
Abu Dhabi Team Suffer Broken Mast Six Hours Into VOR
#VOLVO OCEAN RACE - Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing's challenge was nearly scuppered at the outset when their yacht suffered a broken mast just hours into the first leg of the Volvo Ocean Race yesterday. Dismast photos by Paul Todd below.
The accident occurred 30 nautical miles south of Cartagena on the Spanish Mediterranean, when the yacht Azzam encountered rough weather some six hours after leaving Alicante.
"Our mast broke into three pieces when landing off a big wave in 30+ knots of wind," said skipper Ian Walker. "We were sailing under a J4 and two reefs. We do not as yet know the cause."
A first leg disaster for Ian Walker on Abu Dhabi - Photo: Paul Todd
The broken mast pieces and rig were recovered, thanks to the "courageous" intervention of crewman Wade Morgan, who entered the water to cut away the top of the mainsail.
Walker added: “The mast from the first spreader up is now secured to the port side of the boat. About three or four metres protrude from behind the boat. A spider web of lines is keeping the operation intact. The crew are deeply disappointed.”
Yacht and crew - which includes Wexford man Justin Slattery - were last night headed towards the flatter water at Cabo de Palos before returning to Alicante under motor to begin repairs and get back in the race.
Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing are one of six teams competing in the epic round-the-world yacht race, which is set to finish in Galway next July.
Earlier this week the team finished first in the initial in-port race of the competition.
The official Volvo Ocean Race website has more on the story HERE.
Boy Drowns in Liffey, Diver Treated for Bends
Gardaí have confirmed that a 14-year-old boy drowned in the River Liffey near Clane, Co Kildare on Saturday.
According to The Irish Times, it is believed the accident occurred while the teen was playing in the river with friends. His body was removed to Naas hospital.
Elsewhere, RTÉ News reports that a diver is being treated for the bends after getting into difficulty in the sea near Kilkee, Co Clare on Sunday.
The man was airlifted by the Shannon coast guard to Galway's University Hospital after being retrieved by colleagues.
Naval Sailor Dies in Accident in Schull
Gardai are treating the death of the 34-year-old who fell in to the sea at Schull as an accident. The Irish Times has more on the tragic accident HERE.
Red Bay Lifeboat Crew Provide First Aid to Collapsed Man at Fair Head
Lifeboat crew with Red Bay RNLI put their first aid training into practice this afternoon when a man collapsed while out walking in Boulder Field at Fair Head in County Antrim. The two lifeboat crew had to scale 150 feet of rocky headland to reach the two men who had been out walking and to administer first aid to the casualty.
Red Bay RNLI lifeboat was launched at 3.55pm to the incident and on arrival at the scene the lifeboat crew were able to locate the two men among the rocks. Two lifeboat volunteers left the lifeboat with first aid equipment to give assistance to the casualty. However to reach the men they had to climb 150 feet up the rocky terrain. The Royal Navy helicopter Rescue 177 from Prestwick arrived a short time later with a paramedic and was able to stabilise the casualty and winch both him and the other man aboard and bring them both to Coleraine Hospital.
Commenting on the callout Red Bay RNLI lifeboat helm Paddy McLaughlin said, " Thankfully we are very familiar with this area and two of our lifeboat crew were able to use their first aid training and go to the assistance of the casualty. This is not an easy area to access and the two men had been out walking since breakfast."
Last August Red Bay RNLI lifeboat crew brought a brother and sister to safety when they got into difficulty among the rocks at Fair Head.
Additional report from HM Coastguard
TWO MEN STUCK ON CLIFF AT FAIR HEADAt 3.50 pm this afternoon, Coleraine Police were in touch with Belfast Coastguard earlier this afternoon to inform them about two men stuck on a cliff at Fair Head in Northern Ireland.
Both were wearing high visibility jackets whilst one man is aged 46, the other 52. The first informant, the younger man, suggested that the elder of the two men was in a state of collapse with vertigo and needed urgent attention.
The Ballycastle Coastguard Rescue Team were immediately turned out along with the Red Bay RNLI inshore lifeboat. A rescue helicopter – R177 – from Prestwick was also scrambled.
The position of the two men was given as near Murlough Cottage Caravan Park and that they were halfway up the rocks.
The weather was cold with high and clear skies at the time. When rescue units arrived on scene the two men could be seen wearing warm jackets and spotted halfway between the cliff base at Fair Head and the shore in heather and rocks. They were in a sheltered position.
By 4.30 two RNLI lifeboat crew had come ashore and made contact with the two and was administered first aid to the older man, and by 5.15 both casualties had been taken in to the helicopter, one by stretcher, and were transferred to Coleraine hospital.
The hospital landing site was also manned by the Coleraine Coastguard Team to assist in a quick transferal of the casualties into A&E.
Belfast Coastguard Watch Manager Steve Carson said
"We understand that the two men were out for a walk and became disorientated. Fortunately one of them had a phone on him and was able to get a signal to alert the emergency services.
"Do please check the weather before you set out and make sure you have sufficient supplies if planning an extended trip. For any emergencies on the cliffs, rocks beaches and seas around the Northern Ireland coastline please dial 999 and call the Coastguard."
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Kitesurfer Killed in France
A kitesurfer has been overwhelmed by the force of the wind while he was kitesurfing and been killed in France. He crashed into a nine-storey building and then went over it. The journal.ie has more on the accident. See over the fold.
Annalise Murphy, Olympic Silver Medalist
The National Yacht Club's Annalise Murphy (born 1 February 1990) is a Dublin Bay sailor who won a silver medal in the 2016 Summer Olympics. She is a native of Rathfarnham, a suburb of Dublin.
Murphy competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the Women's Laser Radial class. She won her first four days of sailing at the London Olympics and, on the fifth day, came in 8th and 19th position.
They were results that catapulted her on to the international stage but those within the tiny sport of Irish sailing already knew her of world-class capability in a breeze and were not surprised.
On the sixth day of the competition, she came 2nd and 10th and slipped down to second, just one point behind the Belgian world number one.
Annalise was a strong contender for the gold medal but in the medal race, she was overtaken on the final leg by her competitors and finished in 4th, her personal best at a world-class regatta and Ireland's best Olympic class result in 30 years.
Radial European Gold
Murphy won her first major medal at an international event the following year on home waters when she won gold at the 2013 European Sailing Championships on Dublin Bay.
Typically, her track record continues to show that she performs best in strong breezes that suit her large stature (height: 1.86 m Weight: 72 kg).
She had many international successes on her road to Rio 2016 but also some serious setbacks including a silver fleet finish in flukey winds at the world championships in the April of Olympic year itself.
Olympic Silver Medal
On 16 August 2016, Murphy won the silver medal in the Laser Radial at the 2016 Summer Olympics defying many who said her weight and size would go against her in Rio's light winds.
As Irish Times Sailing Correspondent David O'Brien pointed out: " [The medal] was made all the more significant because her string of consistent results was achieved in a variety of conditions, the hallmark of a great sailor. The medal race itself was a sailing master class by the Dubliner in some decidedly fickle conditions under Sugarloaf mountain".
It was true that her eight-year voyage ended with a silver lining but even then Murphy was plotting to go one better in Tokyo four years later.
Sportswoman of the Year
In December 2016, she was honoured as the Irish Times/Sport Ireland 2016 Sportswoman of the Year.
In March, 2017, Annalise Murphy was chosen as the grand marshal of the Dublin St Patrick's day parade in recognition of her achievement at the Rio Olympics.
She became the Female World Champion at the Moth Worlds in July 2017 in Italy but it came at a high price for the Olympic Silver medallist. A violent capsize in the last race caused her to sustain a knee injury which subsequent scans revealed to be serious.
Volvo Ocean Race
The injury was a blow for her return to the Olympic Laser Radial discipline and she withdrew from the 2017 World Championships. But, later that August, to the surprise of many, Murphy put her Tokyo 2020 ambitions on hold for a Volvo Ocean Race crew spot and joined Dee Caffari’s new Turn the Tide On Plastic team that would ultimately finish sixth from seventh overall in a global circumnavigation odyssey.
Quits Radial for 49erFX
There were further raised eyebrows nine months later when, during a break in Volvo Ocean Race proceedings, in May 2018 Murphy announced she was quitting the Laser Radial dinghy and was launching a 49er FX campaign for Tokyo 2020. Critics said she had left too little time to get up to speed for Tokyo in a new double-handed class.
After a 'hugely challenging' fourteen months for Murphy and her crew Katie Tingle, it was decided after the 2019 summer season that their 'Olympic medal goal' was no longer realistic, and the campaign came to an end. Murphy saying in interviews “I guess the World Cup in Japan was a bit of a wakeup call for me, I was unable to see a medal in less than twelve months and that was always the goal".
The pair raced in just six major regattas in a six-month timeframe.
Return to Radial
In September 2019, Murphy returned to the Laser Radial dinghy and lead a four-way trial for the Tokyo 2020 Irish Olympic spot after the first of three trials when she finished 12th at the Melbourne World Championships in February 2020.
Selection for Tokyo 2021
On June 11, Irish Sailing announced Annalise Murphy had been nominated in the Laser Radial to compete at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Murphy secured the Laser Radial nomination after the conclusion of a cut short trials in which rivals Aoife Hopkins, Aisling Keller and Eve McMahon also competed.
Disappointment at Tokyo 2021
After her third Olympic Regatta, there was disappointment for Murphy who finished 18th overall in Tokyo. On coming ashore after the last race, she indicated her intention to return to studies and retire from Olympic sailing.
On 6th Aguust 2020, Murphy wrote on Facebook: "I am finally back home and it’s been a week since I finished racing, I have been lucky enough to experience the highs and the lows of the Olympics. I am really disappointed, I can’t pretend that I am not. I wasn’t good enough last week, the more mistakes I made the more I lost confidence in my decision making. Two years ago I made a plan to try and win a gold medal in the Radial, I believed that with my work ethic and attitude to learning, that everything would work out for me. It didn’t work out this time but I do believe that it’s worth dreaming of winning Olympic medals as I’m proof that it is possible, I also know how scary it is to try knowing you might not be good enough!
I am disappointed for Rory who has been my coach for 15 years, we’ve had some great times together and I wish I could have finished that on a high. I have so much respect for Olympic sailing coaches. They also have to dedicate their lives to getting to the games. I know I’ll always appreciate the impact Rory has had on my life as a person.
I am so grateful for the support I have got from my family and friends, I have definitely been selfish with my time all these years and I hope I can now make that up to you all! Thanks to Kate, Mark and Rónán for always having my back! Thank you to my sponsors for believing in me and supporting me. Thank you Tokyo for making these games happen! It means so much to the athletes to get this chance to do the Olympics.
I am not too sure what is next for me, I definitely don’t hate sailing which is a positive. I love this sport, even when it doesn’t love me 😂. Thank you everyone for all the kind words I am finally getting a chance to read!"
Annalise Murphy, Olympic Sailor FAQs
Annalise Murphy is Ireland’s best performing sailor at Olympic level, with a silver medal in the Laser Radial from Rio 2016.
Annalise Murphy is from Rathfarnham, a suburb in south Co Dublin with a population of some 17,000.
Annalise Murphy was born on 1 February 1990, which makes her 30 years old as of 2020.
Annalise Murphy’s main competition class is the Laser Radial. Annalise has also competed in the 49erFX two-handed class, and has raced foiling Moths at international level. In 2017, she raced around the world in the Volvo Ocean Race.
In May 2018, Annalise Murphy announced she was quitting the Laser Radial and launching a campaign for Tokyo 2020 in the 49erFX with friend Katie Tingle. The pairing faced a setback later that year when Tingle broke her arm during training, and they did not see their first competition until April 2019. After a disappointing series of races during the year, Murphy brought their campaign to an end in September 2019 and resumed her campaign for the Laser Radial.
Annalise Murphy is a longtime and honorary member of the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire.
Aside from her Olympic success, Annalise Murphy won gold at the 2013 European Sailing Championships on Dublin Bay.
So far Annalise Murphy has represented Ireland at two Olympic Games.
Annalise Murphy has one Olympic medal, a silver in the Women’s Laser Radial from Rio 2016.
Yes; on 11 June 2020, Irish Sailing announced Annalise Murphy had been nominated in the Women’s Laser Radial to compete at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 2021.
Yes; in December 2016, Annalise Murphy was honoured as the Irish Times/Sport Ireland 2016 Sportswoman of the Year. In the same year, she was also awarded Irish Sailor of the Year.
Yes, Annalise Murphy crewed on eight legs of the 2017-18 edition of The Ocean Race.
Annalise Murphy was a crew member on Turn the Tide on Plastic, skippered by British offshore sailor Dee Caffari.
Annalise Murphy’s mother is Cathy McAleavy, who competed as a sailor in the 470 class at the Olympic Games in Seoul in 1988.
Annalise Murphy’s father is Con Murphy, a pilot by profession who is also an Olympic sailing race official.
Annalise Murphy trains under Irish Sailing Performance head coach Rory Fitzpatrick, with whom she also prepared for her silver medal performance in Rio 2016.
Annalise Murphy trains with the rest of the team based at the Irish Sailing Performance HQ in Dun Laoghaire Harbour.
Annalise Murphy height is billed as 6 ft 1 in, or 183cm.
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