#Swimming - This year’s Dunmore East RNLI Open Water Swim sponsored by Activate and Lidl will take place on Saturday 20 May.

Entry is €25 for any of three swims over distances of 1600m, 800m and a junior swim of 500m, starting at 12.30pm from the slip behind Waterford Harbour Sailing Club in Dunmore East.

“We had such a successful event last we are really looking forward to this year’s event,” said Dunmore East RNLI lifeboat crew member Neville Murphy.

“We live in one of the most beautiful parts of the country with a stunning coastline, and it is the perfect location for this type of event.

“Let’s hope the weather is as good as last year and we have as many participants, which in turn will help us raise funds for the RNLI and their lifesaving work.”

This year’s event promised a fun-filled family atmosphere with balloon making, face painting and much more children’s entertainment, and a BBQ for swimmers and their supporters alike.

All prizegiving will take place at the newly refurbished Waterford Harbour Sailing Club after the completion of all three swims, with music entertainment will be provided by DJ Frankie McAvoy.

For more information about the Dunmore East RNLI Open Water Swim and to register online, go to www.athleticstiming.com.

#RNLI - Skerries RNLI assisted a motor boat with two men aboard that was experiencing engine difficulties at Rockabill Lighthouse on Sunday afternoon (7 May).

Dublin Coast Guard tasked Skerries RNLI shortly after 12.30pm after receiving a call from a motor boat that was having difficulty getting their engine to start.

The lifeboat was launched with volunteer Philip Ferguson at the helm and crewed by Paddy Dillon, Steven Johnson and JP Tanner.

They proceeded on a course to Rockabill, and once on scene they located a 5m motor boat with two men on board that had become entangled in a lobster pot.

Following some troubleshooting advice from the lifeboat helm, a former RNLI mechanic, the men managed to successfully restart the engine. The lifeboat then stood by while they tested that everything was running smoothly.

With the men happy to be on their way again, the lifeboat returned to base and was made ready for the next call out.

Lifeboat press officer Gerry Canning said: “Sometimes, even though you are fully prepared you can just be unlucky. In this case their luck changed quickly as Philip used his experience to get them moving again. Our volunteers are always ready to help in whatever way they can.”

#Missing - Police Scotland confirmed that two bodies were recovered from the Irish Sea in the search for a speedboat missing off the Scottish coast, according to Yachting & Boat World.

RNLI lifeboats and coastguard volunteers from Northern Ireland were involved in the search for the speedboat and its two occupants off Dumfries and Galloway, as reported yesterday on Afloat.ie.

#Missing - RNLI lifeboats from Bangor and Donaghadee have joined the search for a speedboat with two men missing off the Scottish coast, as BBC News reports.

Coastguard volunteers from Bangor are also part of the emergency operation launched last night (Saturday 6 May) when the two men failed to return to Port Logan in Dumfries and Galloway.

Searches for the missing vessel, thought to be an 18ft black Fletcher speedboat, are concentrated off the Mull of Galloway for the time being.

BBC News has more on the story HERE.

#RNLI - The volunteer lifeboat crew at Portaferry RNLI responded for the second time in 48 hours to a launch request yesterday evening (Thursday 4 May) to go to the aid of five men on board a 7m yacht experiencing difficulty on Strangford Lough.

The Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat launched at 8.45pm for the reported location of the casualty, which was just north of Don O’Neill Island in Strangford Lough.

The lifeboat crew arrived on scene at 8.52pm in clear weather and good visibility, but with a Force 6 north-easterly was creating choppy sea conditions with a moderate two-metre swell.

The five men on the sailing boat had experienced some heavy going and though they were in no longer in any immediate danger, the lifeboat crew made the decision to escort them into the safe waters of Ringhaddy Sound.

Less than 48 hours previously, the Portaferry lifeboat crew launched to the aid of five men and two women stranded on two adjacent islands in Strangford Lough.

The group had been on a 6m cabin cruiser that started to experience electrical problems before they decided to beach the craft on Salt Island, after three of the party were put ashore on neighbouring Green Island.

The Portaferry Lifeboat crew arrived on scene at 11.22am, nine minutes after launch, and took on board the five people on Salt Island, taking them to Killyleagh before returning to Green Island for the remaining individuals.

At the time of the launch, the weather was sunny with very good visibility, a Force 3 easterly wind and calm sea conditions.

Commenting on the rescue, Portaferry RNLI lifeboat operations manager Brian Bailie said: “Once again all the hard work and hours invested in training has paid off with a happy ending to today’s rescue.

“With the start of the good weather and more and more craft taking to the water, it is increasingly important that everyone respects the water and makes all the necessary checks before going on the water.”

#RNLI - Rosslare Harbour RNLI assisted three men onboard a yacht yesterday evening (Wednesday 3 May) after it got into difficulty off the Wicklow coast.

The all-weather lifeboat, under coxswain Eamonn O’Rourke and with six volunteer crew members onboard, launched at 6.40pm to the 13m yacht, which developed engine problems while travelling north.

The yacht’s progress was further hindered by the difficult weather conditions, with a strong north-easterly wind blowing Force 6-7.

After reaching the yacht off the Wicklow coast, the lifeboat crew proceeded to take it on tow and headed to the port of Arklow.

Arklow RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat, which had completed another callout at the time, met the vessels and was able to take over the tow, continuing on to Arklow.

Speaking after the callout, Rosslare Harbour RNLI volunteer lifeboat press officer Jamie Ryan praised the efforts of the volunteers who had to endure some challenging sea conditions.

“As we continue to enjoy the good weather and enter into the main boating season, we would remind all those taking to the sea over the summer months to respect the water.

“Always wear a lifejacket and always have a means for calling and signalling for help, ensuring everyone onboard knows how to use it.

“Always check the weather forecast and tide times and make sure someone ashore knows where you are going and who to call if you don’t return on time.”

The rescue came less than a week after Rosslare Harbour’s all-weather lifeboat went to the aid of a yacht with a broken mast off Tuskar Rock, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

#RNLI - Howth RNLI launched its all-weather and inshore lifeboats yesterday (Monday 1 May) to reports of a sailing yacht with steering failure at the entrance to Malahide Estuary.

The inshore lifeboat was first on scene and located the casualty vessel just after noon. The 30ft sailing yacht, with five people aboard, was experiencing steering problems and unable to safely manoeuvre.

Weather conditions at the time had a moderate sea state in Force 4-5 winds.

The all-weather lifeboat arrived on scene shortly after and secured a towline to the stricken yacht before towing it to the safety of Howth Marina.

Both the inshore and all-weather lifeboats returned to station and were stood down following the successful rescue.

Speaking after the callout, Howth RNLI duty coxswain Ian Sheridan said: “We were delighted to assist the five crew of the sailing yacht after they found themselves with no steering at the entrance to Malahide Marina.

“They quickly radioed for assistance which was the correct thing to do and we were able to launch and tow the yacht to safety.”

#RNLI - Baltimore RNLI’s inshore lifeboat was launched on Saturday night (29 May) to assist a boat that had broken from its moorings in Baltimore Harbour.

Concerned for the safety of a person seen trying to access the boat from a rowing dinghy in strong southerly winds, a member of the public raised the alarm, and the ILB was tasked to assist, quickly returning the boat it its morning and its occupant back to shore.

On return to station, the lifeboat was tasked to investigate a possible flare sighting in the area.

After conducting a search in strong wind, rain and darkness, nothing was out of the ordinary was found and the ILB was stood down.

The Baltimore lifeboat crew on this callout were Mícheál Cottrell, Ryan O’Mahony and Colin Rochford, with Seamus O’Driscoll, Rianne Smith and Jerry Smith on shore and Brian McSweeney also in attendance.

#RNLI - Lough Ree RNLI’s lifeboat crew were alerted by the Irish Coast Guard yesterday morning (Saturday 29 April) when a 56ft barge with three people on board ran hard aground on rocks close to Blackwood Point, at the northern end of Lough Ree.

Shore crew Tony Diskin, Matt Harte, Billy Henshaw and Dennis Buckley responded quickly when the alarm was raised shortly before 10 am and got the inshore lifeboat The Eric Rouse launched and underway in less than ten minutes, with first responders Kieron Sloyan, Kieran Scullion and Liam Sherringham on board.

A short time later, the lifeboat crew was alongside the casualty vessel, checking that all on board were safe and well. Weather conditions at the time were dry, with strong Force 5-6 wind and a rising swell with waves up to a metre high.

After checking that the vessel was not taking on water, a tow line was established and the vessel was safely towed to deeper navigable water.

Crew member Kieran Scullion remained aboard the barge to check that all systems were operating normally and to assist with navigation on the journey north to Lanesborough Quay, accompanied by the lifeboat. Upon arrival at Lanesborough, the crew ensured that the barge was securely berthed before departing the scene.

On return to the lifeboat station, the crew observed a hire vessel straying outside the navigation channel between Clawinch Island and Quaker Island.

The crew diverted course to the hire vessel and guided the occupants back to safe water. A lifeboat crew member was invited on board the vessel and spent some time assisting the hire vessel crew in identifying the navigable areas of the lake.

The lifeboat crew also advised the occupants of the difficult conditions further south, whereupon the hire vessel decided to return north to Ballyleague Harbour until conditions for crossing the lake improved.

Speaking following the callout, Lough Ree RNLI lifeboat operations manager Tony McCarth said: “It was a busy day for the lifeboat on Lough Ree and we were delighted to be able to assist.

“As we continue to enjoy this Bank Holiday weekend and as we look forward to the main boating season starting, we would like to remind everyone planning a trip on the lake to respect the water.”

#RNLI - Wicklow RNLI's all-weather lifeboat launched at 10.52am yesterday morning (Saturday 29 April) to search the bay for a missing fisherman.

The lifeboat, under the command of coxswain Nick Keogh with a volunteer crew, proceeded north to the fisherman’s last known position.

Weather conditions in the area at the time were described as moderate seas with a south-easterly Force 4 wind.

Twelve minutes after launching, the lifeboat crew located the man in his small boat near Kiloughter beach, in what Keogh described as “choppy” seas.

A quick assessment found he was unable to get back to Wicklow Harbour due to mechanical problems with the outboard engine.

The boat was taken in tow back to the garbour, where the fisherman was landed safely ashore just before midday.

“We were happy to assist him,” Keogh added.