Minister of State at the Department of Transport with responsibility for the Coast Guard, James Lawless, today [Thursday, 29th August] welcomed the arrival into Weston Airport of the first AW189 helicopter in the Irish Coast Guard’s new aircraft fleet.

The full fleet will comprise six AW189 helicopters, five of which will be newly-built, along with two fixed-wing aircraft. The helicopters will be stationed at Weston (Dublin), Sligo, Waterford and Shannon, providing day and night, year-round availability. The Fixed Wing aircraft service will be located in Shannon. The fleet will enable the Irish Coast Guard to continue to provide world-class maritime, coastal and inland Search and Rescue services, which have saved the lives of over 300 people in 2024 alone. The aircraft fleet will also be used for environmental monitoring, and for other essential services including helicopter emergency medical and Air Ambulance Services on behalf of the HSE and National Ambulance Service.

Welcoming the arrival, Minister Lawless said: “This is an exciting milestone in the introduction of the new aviation service of the Irish Coast Guard. This fleet will enhance the Coast Guard’s capability to deliver a world class Search and Rescue and maritime environment monitoring services, along with the essential aviation support service they provide to other State organisations including the National Ambulance Service, An Garda Síochána, and National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Services.

In control - Minister of State at the Department of Transport with responsibility for the Coast Guard, James Lawless, with Ms Joanna Cullen, Assistant Secretary, Irish Coast Guard and Micheal O’Toole Director for the Irish Coast Guard with the newly arrived AW189 helicopter one of six which have been ordered at Weston Airport Photo: Maxwells 

“Coast Guard personnel are incredibly committed to assisting the public, sometimes in extremely challenging situations. This new fleet ensures that the highest standards of safety and professionalism continue to be met, as they carry out their life-saving work.”

The aircraft service will be operated by Bristow Ireland Limited under a ten-year contract which will become fully operational in July 2025.

As Afloat reported in February, both the helicopters and Fixed Wing aircraft feature a new Coast Guard livery. In the coming weeks, Search and Rescue providers including Coast Guard Volunteers, RNLI, Community Inshore Rescue and Mountain Rescue teams will work with the new helicopter, conducting exercises that replicate everyday search and rescue activities. Transition from the existing contract is scheduled to commence on 31st October 2024, when Bristow will assume responsibility for Shannon-based operations. The intervening time will be used for training and conducting familiarisation exercises before it is put into active service. Three other bases (Sligo, Waterford, and Dublin Weston) will transition to the new contracted service on a phased basis between now and July 2025.

The AW 189 is a modern, technologically advanced, and fuel-efficient helicopter. The technical specifications of the AW189 fully meet and, indeed, exceed the requirements for the full range of aviation taskings operated by the Irish Coast Guard.

Director of Bristow Ireland, Philip Bartlett, said: “It’s great to see this helicopter here at its new home in Ireland. The scheduled process for introducing the new SAR service for the Irish Coast Guard is now well under way. We will be phasing in new equipment and new technology to this trusted, life-saving service throughout the transition period.”

As Bristow Ireland prepares to take over the new Irish Coast Guard helicopter search and rescue contract, there is reported concern among staff with existing operator CHC Ireland about their employment terms.

The Journal.ie reports that air crew represented by trade union Forsa have become concerned over a request to resign from their CHC contracts three months in advance of the changeover.

The air crews are particularly concerned about the status of their employment, and certain terms and conditions, and are reported to be dismayed that the Irish Coast Guard is not getting involved.

Air Corps

In a separate report this weekend, the Air Corps has expressed concern about the impact of relocation of the Irish Coast Guard Dublin search and rescue (SAR) base from Dublin Airport to Weston airstrip.

The Sunday Independent reports that the Air Corps has said it is concerned that a Weston SAR bse will “inevitably” result in an associated “negative impact on the safety and operational efficiency of Air Corps aircraft operating in and around military airspace”.

Planning permission has already been granted for the new SAR base.

The newspaper says that Brig- Gen Rory O’Connor, general officer commanding, Air Corps, and director of military aviation, informed Department of Defence officials about the potential impact.

Read The Journal here and The Sunday Independent reports here

On Sunday, July 28th, a fishing vessel spotted a body at sea between Doolin and the Aran Islands, prompting a response from the Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Centre in Valentia. The Doolin Coast Guard Unit boat team, with assistance from the Aran Islands RNLI, successfully located and recovered the body, which was later transferred to An Garda Siochána.

Following the recovery operation, the search around the Cliffs of Moher and surrounding sea areas has been suspended.

In a statement, the Irish Coast Guard expressed gratitude to the volunteer Coast Guard Units from Doolin, Cleggan, Inisheer, Costelloe Bay, Killaloe, Aran Islands lifeboat, Coast Guard helicopter R115, and the member of the Civil Defence for their dedicated participation in the search effort since July 24th.

The Coast Guard said it extends condolences to the family and friends of the deceased and acknowledged the support and collaboration of all involved in the operation."

The Coast Guard continues to support a Garda operation to recover the body of a young boy who had fallen at the Cliffs of Moher.

On Saturday 27th July, the Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Centre in Valentia is coordinating searches led by volunteers from the Doolin Coast Guard Unit using, drones and cliff top searching, and the Shannon based Coast Guard helicopter R115.

These searches are being supported by other neighbouring Coast Guard Units.

The search area has focused around the Cliffs of Moher and also in the surrounding sea areas including Galway Bay and the Aran Islands.

Over the coming days, Coast Guard Units from Doolin, Cleggan, Inisheer, Costelloe Bay, Killaloe and Coast Guard helicopter R115 will continue to search these areas. It is also understood that Civil defence drone units will also be searching in the area as tasked by An Garda Siochána and will operate in conjunction with the Coast Guard effort on scene.

The father of a 17-year-old from Armagh who died off the Cliffs of Moher in Co Clare has questioned why the Irish Coast Guard could not recover his son’s body from the rocks.

As The Sunday Independent reports, the family of Lochlann Murray, an apprentice electrician from Silverbridge, Co Armagh, had to seek the help of Monaghan divers who made a 555km round trip to assist.

Lochlann Murray was reported missing on July 5th and a Civil Defence drone located his body after his car was found close to the Cliffs of Moher.

Mr Murray told The Sunday Independent that he, his brother-in-law and several friends drove to Clare, and were told that the local Coast Guard unit could not help with recovering Lochlann.

They were told that a Garda sub-aqua team would not get there for several more days as it was on another recovery operation.

Frank McDermott, chairman of the Rockcorry Divers and North Coast Search and Recovery group, responded to a call from Mr Murray’s niece.

“In my years doing this type of recovery work, north and south of the border, I have never come across a situation like this where a family was left pleading for help,” Mr McDermott said.

He paid tribute to former Doolin Coast Guard volunteer Bernard Lucas for assisting them in a personal capacity, as the Rockcorry team did not know the coastline.

Doolin Coast Guard unit, once one of the busiest and most experience in the State, has not been fully operational since November 2021 when ten members were dismissed, including Mr Lucas.

His wife, advanced coxswain Caitriona Lucas, died while trying to assist a neighbouring unit at Kilkee.

Mr Murray described how he and several friends descended to the ledge area to help the Monaghan divers put his son’s body into a body bag.

“It was just harrowing – at one point, I thought we were all going to lose our lives,”he said.

Mr Lucas confirmed that this was one of several incidents where he and several colleagues have helped families who lost relatives below the cliffs - as Doolin Coast Guard’s cliff climbing unit was not available.

He said he and a group of former Coast Guard volunteers plan to set up their own search and recovery group to help fill a gaping void in a very busy tourist area, once they can secure insurance and funding.

John O’Mahony of the Irish Coast Guard Volunteers’ Representative Association, comprising current and former Coast Guard members who have been seeking reforms, said that it was “horrified” at the ordeal which the family had to go through, and paid tribute to the Rockcorry divers and Mr Lucas.

“The Doolin unit, as it was formerly, was exceptional and should never have been taken out of service by Irish Coast Guard management,” O’Mahony said. “We will be supporting Bernard Lucas in his fundraising efforts.”

Asked to comment, the Department of Transport on behalf of the Irish Coast Guard said that between July 5th and 7th, Doolin Coast Guard Unit “carried out boat and drone operations” at the request of the Garda.

“When the body was sighted, it was assessed that it would require a dive team to recover the body, as it was not otherwise accessible by boat or helicopter,” the department said.

“Options on deployment of available diving units were already under consideration by the Garda Siochána,” the department said.

“ On July 7th, a body was recovered by the Rockcorry Diving Club and was transferred to the Garda Siochána at Doolin pier. The Coast Guard extends its sincere condolences to the family on this sad occasion,” the department said.

The Garda Press Office said that “it is a matter for the Irish Coast Guard to respond as to the deployment of their members,”and said it has a close working relationship with Doolin Coast Guard.

“ Chief Superintendent Aileen Magner would like to extend her deepest condolences to the family of the bereaved,” the press office said.

Read The Sunday Independent here 

The first of six AW189 helicopters destined for search and rescue on the new Irish Coast Guard contract has flown off the Italian production line.

Bristow Ireland says the new helicopter is now in its maintenance hangars, where “expert Bristow engineers are busy installing the advanced systems and equipment”.

This will “transform this awesome aircraft into a specialist, life-saving Search and Rescue machine, ready to deliver life-saving operations on behalf of the Irish Coast Guard”, the company says.

The fleet of AW189 helicopters bound for Ireland will work exclusively for the Irish Coast Guard

Bristow Ireland recently conducted “technical acceptance” of the AW189 helicopter at the aircraft manufacturer, Leonardo, in Milan, Italy.

Bristow has been flying the AW189 for the past ten years, and the fleet of six aircraft bound for Ireland will “work exclusively for the Irish Coast Guard alongside fixed-wing aircraft and other emergency services”.

Last year, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan awarded the new ten-year contract valued at 670 million euro excluding VAT to Bristow Ireland.

Bristow Ireland recently conducted “technical acceptance” of the AW189 helicopter at the aircraft manufacturer, Leonardo, in Milan, Italy

The new contract which is due to be fully operational by 2025 includes providing for two King Air fixed wing aircraft at Shannon, for five years- allowing for the possibility that the Air Corps, Ireland’s air defence wing, may then assume responsibility for the fixed wing element.

British company 2Excel Aviation recently formed 2Excel Ireland to provide fixed-wing Coast Guard Services for Bristow Ireland.

Current Irish Coast Guard SAR contract holder CHC Ireland issued legal proceedings last year over “a number of flaws” in relation to the tender competition, and these proceedings are still in train, along with new proceedings filed earlier this year.

The Irish Coast Guard are assisting An Garda Síochána in an ongoing search for a missing climber at Mount Brandon Co. Kerry.

The Marine Rescue Co-ordination Sub-centre in Valentia has tasked the Coast Guard rescue helicopters based at Shannon (R115) and Waterford (R117) as well as Coast Guard Units from Dingle, Glenderry and Iveragh to assist in this search since being alerted by Gardaí last Tuesday, 25th June.

A British aviation and aerospace company has created an Irish subsidiary to supply two King Air aircraft for the new Irish Coast Guard contract.

2Excel Aviation has formed 2Excel Ireland to provide fixed-wing Coast Guard Services for Bristow Ireland.

This follows the Government’s award to Bristow of a 10-year contract (with extension options of up to three years) to deliver search and rescue (SAR) and other aviation services for the Irish Coast Guard.

The aircraft will also provide “top cover” support for the fleet of six specialist AW189 helicopters, operated by Bristow Ireland, together delivering the next generation of lifesaving SAR for the country, it says.

Eugene Quigley, newly appointed accountable manager for 2Excel Ireland, said it is “a very exciting development for 2Excel and an opportunity to replicate our service, skills, and expertise, already proven in the SAR environment”.

“With aircraft modifications that have been designed and engineered to our own specifications, we are also pleased to be continuing our successful partnership with Bristow in providing critical life-saving services and environmental monitoring at sea ,”he said.

Bristow Ireland signed a new aviation services contract with the Department of Transport in August 2023.

The transition to the new service is at an advanced stage with the first new helicopter due to enter service later this year.

2Excel says it has already begun recruiting for a number of specialist vacancies for the fixed wing operation, including pilots, engineers, and sensor operators, and is “keen to hear from those with the required qualifications and experience”.

Bristow Group Inc has announced that Bristow Leasing Limited, a U.K. subsidiary, has entered into a new loan facility for 100 million euro to support its Irish Coast Guard contract commitments.

As Vertical magazine reports, the export development guarantee term-loan facility has been negotiated by Bristow Leasing Ltd for an aggregate amount of up to €100 million with National Westminster Bank Plc (NatWest) and also UK Export Finance guaranteeing 80 per cent of the facility (the UKEF Debt).

“The proceeds from the financing will be used to support Bristow’s capital commitments related to the next generation of search-and-rescue (SAR) operations in Ireland,”it says.

UK Export Finance is Britain’s export credit agency and provides the export development guarantee product to “support the working capital and capital expenditure needs of U.K. exporters that meet certain criteria”, it says.

“The proceeds from the UKEF Debt will enhance our financial flexibility as Bristow grows its leading government services business with the new Irish Coast Guard contract investments,” Chris Bradshaw, Bristow’s president and chief executive officer, said in a press statement.

“We would like to thank NatWest and UK Export Finance for their confidence in Bristow and for helping facilitate our continued success,”he said.

Members of Bristow Ireland conducted “technical acceptance” of the AW189 helicopter they will be flying at the aircraft manufacturer, Leonardo, in Milan, Italy, last weekend, according to the company.

The aircraft will have a new livery, as Afloat has previously reported, and this was photographed while one of the helicopters was airborne for the technical test flight.

Bristow has been flying the AW189 for the past ten years, and says that in Ireland a fleet of six such aircraft will “work exclusively for the Irish Coast Guard alongside fixed-wing aircraft and other emergency services”.

Last year, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan awarded the new ten-year contract valued at 670 million euro excluding VAT to Bristow Ireland.

The new contract which is due to be fully operational by 2025 includes providing for two King Air fixed wing aircraft at Shannon, for five years- allowing for the possibility that the Air Corps, Ireland’s air defence wing, may then assume responsibility for the fixed wing element.

Current contract holder CHC Ireland issued legal proceedings last year over “a number of flaws” in relation to the tender competition, and these proceedings are still in train, along with new proceedings filed earlier this year.

Read Vertical magazine here

Late Irish Coast Guard volunteer Caitriona Lucas will be remembered when three mountaineers tackle the five highest peaks in Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales over a three-day period this month.

As The Sunday Independent reports, the team for the fourth Caitriona Lucas Challenge set out on June 15th, weather permitting.

The group includes Ms Lucas’s husband Bernard, who initiated the annual challenge named after his late wife.

As with the three previous challenges, funds will be raised for the Burren Chernobyl Project.

Ms Lucas, an advanced coxswain with Doolin Coast Guard, lost her life off the Clare coast during a search for a missing man in September, 2016.

She was the first Irish Coast Guard volunteer to die on duty.

Bernard Lucas and Deirdre Linnane from Co Clare and Cormac Coyne from the Aran island of Inis Oírr hope to make an overall ascent of 5,296 metres over 72 hours, starting with Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales, moving on to England’s highest peak, Scafell Pike in Cumbria and continuing to Ben Nevis in Scotland, Slieve Donard in Co Down, and finishing with Kerry’s Carrauntouhill.

The trio expect to be joined by experienced supporters for Carrauntouhill on June 18th – the late Ms Lucas’s birthday.

The first Caitriona Lucas challenge took place in 2018, and involved climbing 26 mountains across 32 counties in just ten days.

The following year, 2019, Lucas and five colleagues travelled to Greenland for the Arctic Circle trail, and he and two colleagues made a successful ascent of Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain at 5,895 meters last year.

Details of the challenge are on idonate.ie and read The Sunday Independent here