#MarineWildlife - Galway RNLI's lifeboat came to the rescue of five swimmers who were attacked by a dolphin off Blackrock Tower at Salthill yesterday evening (Wednesday 1 October).

Reports from people who witnessed the incident say the large marine mammal was circling the swimmers then swimming at them in an intimidating way and glancing off them, coming and going, with its tail and nose.

After a member of the public raised the alarm with the Irish Coast Guard, the lifeboat launched from the nearby docks around 7.25pm and was on scene within five minutes.

A fishing vessel in the area had moved in separate the dolphin from the swimmers, and the lifeboat joined in to keep the cetacean at bay until they made it safely ashore. 

The swimmers were said to be very shaken by the incident but did not require medical assistance.

Lifeboat helm Ciaran Oliver said his crew then did a sweep of the beach from Blackrock to Seapoint to warn others, assisted by additional lifeboat crew on the promenade.

It's not yet clear what dolphin was responsible for this incident, though it comes just days after reports that an aggressive migrating dolphin known as Clet had taken up with the bottlenose once known as Dusty off the nearby Aran Islands in Galway Bay.

#RNLI - At 5.25pm yesterday evening (Tuesday 30 September) the Bangor RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew received a request from Belfast Coastguard to assist two people onboard a 28ft trimaran-type yacht.

The multihull vessel, consisting of a main hull and two out-rigging hulls, had experienced engine failure two nautical miles north of Black Head on northern shores of Belfast Lough.

Within minutes of the rescue pagers being activated, the volunteer crew had launched the lifeboat, which proceeded at full speed towards the stricken vessel.

Upon arrival, the crew found that the two people on board the yacht were experienced yachtsmen. They had followed procedure and made the correct decision to call for assistance at the first sign of trouble.

With weather conditions on scene deteriorating, and a moderate to rough sea state, one of the lifeboat crew was transferred to the yacht to assist in rigging a tow line.

The vessel was then taken under tow and after two-and-a-half hours arrived safely at Bangor Marina.

RNLI volunteer helmsman Connor Lawson used this rescue to highlight a RNLI safety message when he said: "We always urge everyone going afloat to make sure their engine and fuel systems and are well maintained and in good working order.

"Engine failure close to shore and commercial shipping routes could lead to a life threatening situation."

He added: "We're happy that everyone is now safely ashore."

#RNLI - The volunteer crew of the Bundoran RNLI lifeboat were called out twice over the weekend to two different incidents, both of which ended well.

On Saturday afternoon (27 September) just after 1.40pm, the crew received a report that a boat’s propeller had become entangled in the rope of an old lobster pot just off Mountcharles.

Making their way across the bay to the scene, the volunteer crew found that the boat had indeed become entangled and was unable to move.

The experienced skipper had dropped anchor to ensure that the craft was stabilised, which eased the work of the RNLI crewman who went under the boat in order to cut the rope from the propeller.

Within minutes, the thankful skipper was underway and the lifeboat returned the station in Bundoran.



Just after 6pm on Sunday evening (28 September) the pagers sounded again as Malin Head Coast Guard had been alerted to a surfer who was in difficulty in the water at Rossnowlagh.

Within six minutes the lifeboat was in the water and speeding towards the scene with shore crew also tasked to the scene. The Irish Coast Guard's Sligo-based helicopter Rescue 118 was also tasked. 

However, as the lifeboat passed Kildoney Point the crew were informed that the surfer was ashore and they were stood down.



The deputy launching authority at Bundoran RNLI commented later: "Thankfully these callouts ended well. We would as usual always remind members of the public that if they see anyone in difficulty on the coast to dial 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard."

#RNLI - Following an alert by pager on Sunday 21 September, Arklow RNLI’s lifeboat Ger Tigchlear was launched within minutes to the aid of a powerboat with three persons aboard that was reported to be taking on water.

In calm conditions, the volunteer crew proceeded to scene, and after locating the vessel some two miles south-east of Arklow, a towline was quickly established to get the vessel back to port as quickly as possible.

Upon arrival at Arklow Harbour, where all hands were brought ashore safely, it was decided that due to the level of water that had entered the vessel, the salvage pump needed to be put aboard to enable refloating.

Once the water was cleared, repairs were made and the vessel was refloated and returned to her berth at Arklow Marina.

Speaking following the incident, coxswain Aidan Downey said: “This was a close call. If there had been any delay in alerting the lifeboat, this vessel would have been lost.

"Thankfully we were able to get to the casualty in the nick of time.”

#RNLI - Rosslare Harbour RNLI towed to safety an 8-metre motor cruiser that was stranded off the Wexford coast with three on board on Thursday evening (18 September).

The volunteer crew launched their all-weather lifeboat at 9pm to go to the assistance of the cruiser, which developed fuel problems some 16 miles north east of Rosslare Harbour.

The three crew on board the cruiser contacted the Irish Coast Guard for assistance. They were in no immediate danger.

Sea conditions were described by the lifeboat coxswain as rough, with a north-easterly wind blowing Force 4-5.

Speaking after the callout, Rosslare Harbour RNLI volunteer lifeboat press officer Jamie Ryan said: "The lifeboat coxswain and crew showed professionalism in establishing a tow in what were described as challenging conditions."

#RNLI - Crosshaven RNLI assisted two fishermen yesterday morning (Wednesday 17 September) after their trawler got into difficulty off the Cork coast.

The Cork Harbour volunteer crew was alerted at 11.48am to a report of a fishing vessel with two people on board that was disabled with a line on its propeller.

Launching their inshore lifeboat immediately, the volunteers quickly approached the scene where conditions were blowing an easterly Force 5 wind with a two-metre swell.

The trawler was quickly located near Fish Point and a tow established by the lifeboat crew before the vessel was taken safely to Crosshaven.

#RNLI - The volunteer lifeboat crew with Red Bay RNLI in Co Antrim were paged on Friday evening (12 September) at 6.55pm to a lone sailor on a 22ft yacht who got into difficulty in strong tides off the North Antrim coast.

The sailor had left Portrush for Bangor at 7am that morning and requested assistance from Belfast Coastguard later in the day after he was unable to make any headway in the seas.

The lifeboat had difficulty locating the vessel due to fog and the fact that the tides had pushed the boat some four miles off course south of Rathlin Island.

However, once located, the yacht was towed by the Red Bay lifeboat crew to Cushendall, arriving at 9.45pm.

Red Bay RNLI spokesman Paddy McLaughlin commented: "Tonight's call out was made more difficult due to the strong tides and fog but we were able to locate the sailor using our onboard VHF direction-finding equipment and radar."

The volunteer lifeboat crew from Cushendall have been kept busy over the past few months answering a large number of emergency calls off the North Antrim coast.

#RNLI - Lifeboat volunteer crewmembers with Douglas RNLI on the Isle of Man were paged at 9.24pm on Thursday evening (11 September) to a report of a person in the Irish Sea off Victoria Pier.

The all-weather lifeboat Sir William Hillary was launched under the command of coxswain Neal Corran, who proceeded to the seaward side of the Victoria Pier where the person was successfully located.

The casualty was recovered to the lifeboat and taken immediately to the Liner Berth inside the harbour to a waiting ambulance.

The lifeboat then returned to the boathouse to be washed down, re-fuelled and was ready again for service at 10.15pm.

#RNLI - Rosslare Harbour RNLI has assisted three crew onboard a 20m yacht which got into difficulty off the north Wexford coast yesterday evening (Thursday 11 September).

The volunteer crew launched their all-weather lifeboat at 5pm to go to the assistance of a 20m sailing ketch yacht which had engine failure, some 30 miles north east of Rosslare Harbour off the Wexford coast.

The three crew on board the yacht were in no immediate danger and contacted the emergency services quickly. Sea conditions were calm with a slight south east breeze.

Once located, the yacht was taken in tow and brought to the safety of Rosslare Europort.

Speaking following the callout, Rosslare Harbour RNLI volunteer lifeboat press officer Jamie Ryan said: "We would like to commend the swift action of the yacht’s crew in contacting the coastguard who in turn alerted the volunteers at Rosslare Harbour RNLI."

#RNLI - Bundoran RNLI has urged anyone planning on setting off fireworks or anything similar that could be mistaken for a distress flare to inform the coastguard in advance after a false alarm on Saturday night (6 September).

At 10.40pm the Bundoran volunteer lifeboat crew were asked to launch by Malin Head Coast Guard to reports of a red flare being sighted somewhere in Donegal Bay.

A red flare is universally known as a distress signal, and when an emergency call was made by a member of the public from Ballyshannon, the watch officers at Malin Head immediately requested the launch of Bundoran RNLI, as well as tasking the Killybegs coastguard boat.

As the caller was unsure of the precise location of the flare, sighting it somewhere between Ballyshannon and St John’s Point, both boats commenced searches of the area. looking for a vessel that may have signalled an emergency.

As the searches were underway, information was received that fireworks had been set off on the coastline in the bay around the time of the emergency call to 999.

Even though it was determined that this was the most likely cause of the red flare sighting, both boats continued to search the area until the coastguard was satisfied that no vessel was in trouble. Both units were then stood down after one hour.

Speaking on their return to the lifeboat station around midnight, Karol McNern, who helmed the Bundoran lifeboat, said: "Thankfully this was just a false alarm and we are, as always, happy to launch to something that people may be unsure of rather than not be launched at all.

"We would however urge anybody who is planning on setting off fireworks, Chinese lanterns or anything that could be mistaken for a distress flare, near the coast, to please inform the coastguard in advance of the approximate time and location so that search and rescue assets need not be unnecessarily launched."