#Coastguard - The Irish Coast Guard has had its busiest year since 1991, as RTÉ News reports.

As of yesterday (Wednesday 30 December), coastguard teams nationwide had completed a combined total of 2,657 missions – an increase of 1% on 2014 driven by increased aquatic tourism, medevacs and air ambulances services, and the recent severe weather.

The biggest increase was seen among those getting into difficulty on the shoreline, 2015's total of 306 up 10% on the previous year.

In addition, the coastguard was involved in a greater number of searches for missing persons in remote areas assisting gardaí.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the Irish Coast Guard's helicopter network last week hit the 1,000-mission landmark for the first time since its services began 25 years ago.

RTÉ News has more on the story HERE.

#Coastguard - Two callouts on St Stephen's Day brought the Irish Coast Guard's total annual helicopter rescue missions to the 1,000 mark for the first time since the service began in 1991, as RTÉ News reports.

Sligo's Rescue 118 had its 343rd mission of the year on Saturday 26 December when it airlifted a young boy with leg injuries, while the Shannon-based Rescue 115 was involved in a medevac from the Aran Islands, taking a pregnant woman to Galway University Hospital for its 330th response.

In the East, the coastguard crew of Waterford's Rescue 117 saw 179 missions this year, while Dublin's Rescue 116 embarked on 148 since January as of yesterday (Sunday 27 December).

RTÉ News has more on the story HERE.

#Xmas - The Irish Coast Guard responded to a surprising distress call this week as a man reported falling off his sleigh over Dollymount Strand.

But this was no hoax call, as the Irish Examiner reports.

And the VIP, in his distinctive red suit, was given a special escort into the city centre, where coastguard staff helped him deliver presents to children in Temple Street Hospital over the Christmas period.

The Irish Examiner has more on the story HERE.

#Coastguard - Waterford's coastguard helicopter went to the aid of three men and a dog whose boat was grounded on a sandbank near Rosslare Strand yesterday evening (Wednesday 23 December).

As BreakingNews.ie reports, coastguard units from Rosslare and Carnsore joined Rescue 117 in the operation, with the helicopter airlifting the men and their dog to safety.

Elsewhere, the Sligo-based Irish Coast Guard chopper Rescue 118 flew nine stranded islanders home to Tory Island yesterday, according to Independent.ie.

The coastguard stepped in to fly the nine passengers along with post and other supplies to the island off the Donegal mainland after ferry services were disrupted by Storm Eva.

TheJournal.ie has photos of the serious swells the storm brought to the North West coast in particular.

#Coastguard - The Air Accident Investigation Unit is conducting an inquiry after it emerged one of two teenagers recovered from the sea off Hook Head last weekend fell from a coastguard helicopter back into the water.

The Irish Times reports that 14-year-old Aoife Winterich died in hospital days after she and three other venture scouts were washed into the sea by a surprise wave during the last remnants of Storm Desmond.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, two of the group managed to swim to shore, but Winterlich and a 15-year-old boy got into difficulty in what the Irish Coast Guard described as "confused" heavy seas.

The boy reportedly kept the unconscious Winterlich afloat until the coastguard's Waterford-based helicopter Rescue 117 arrived at the scene, and both were flown to hospital within 17 minutes of the callout.

However, it's been reported that during the winching process, which required both teens to be lifted from the water simultaneously due to the severity of conditions, Winterlich fell out of the rescue strop back into the sea – a drop of some 40 feet, according to Mail Online.

On Monday Scouting Ireland said it was launching its own review into whether there were "things that could have been done to make the trip safer". The Irish Times has more HERE.

#Rescue - Two Irish Coast Guard helicopters battled Storm Desmond to evacuate a crewman from a container ship off the southwest coast yesterday (Friday 4 December).

As UTV News reports, Rescue 117 from Waterford was joined by Rescue 115 from Shannon in the medevac some 160km west of Fastnet Rock at the Swedish-registered MV Atlantic Cartier, where the long-range-specialist Sikorsky S-92 helicopters faced strong gales and heavy seas.

According to TheJournal.ie, the ill crewman, who was reporting chest pains, was airlifted to Cork Airport where he was transferred to an ambulance.

It marks the latest rescue operation for the coastguard helicopter network in a busy 2015, which has seen a record year for Sligo's Rescue 118 in particular.

#Coastguard - The Sligo-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter will have completed more than 300 search and rescue missions in 2015 by the end of this month, setting a new record.

And as Helicopter Investor reports, Rescue 118 and the rest of the Sikorsky S-92 fleet based at Shannon, Dublin and Waterford will have completed at least 877 missions between them by year's end.

"We have invested heavily in our four bases in Ireland so that we can offer a safe, reliable service with the highest levels of availability,” said Chris Hodson of CHC Helicopter, contracted to provide coastguard SAR services in Ireland since 2010.

#Budget2016 - €93m has been earmarked for Ireland's maritime programme for the next year - a 7% increase on 2015 spending – in the latest Budget announced yesterday (Tuesday 13 October).

Key among the targets of this funding, according to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS), are maintaining the quality and level of service through the Irish Coast Guard's search and rescue helicopter contract, and helping the Commissioner of Irish Lights transition to a new funding model.

"The Irish Coast Guard service requires a strong resource commitment on the part of the Exchequer," said a statement from the DTTAS yesterday (Tuesday 13 October). "The SAR helicopter has seen a step change in the quality of service on offer and that will remain a priority.

"Future developments in IT will also ensure the coastguard service remains best in class internationally."

The funding rise comes via an 8% increase in the departmental budget, as welcomed by Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe and Minister of State for Tourism Michael Ring yesterday.

That includes €2 million in additional funding for tourism initiatives such as the Wild Atlantic Way and the new Ireland's Ancient East.

Meanwhile, the 14% increase in the Public Service Obligation subvention for transport will be further good news to Aran Islands residents, coming after Aer Arann reached an agreement with the Government to extend its contract till the end of September next year, according to Galway Bay FM.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, Marine and Defence Minister Simon Coveney also welcomed the €904 million allocation to defence funding for 2016 to facilitate the implementation of the department's White Paper proposals – which includes the commissioning of three new patrol ships.

#Coastguard - Ireland's coastguard is about to get a boost to its IT infrastructure thanks to its new computer system for co-ordinating rescues nationwide.

As the Irish Examiner reports, Critical Software won the Irish Coast Guard's tender for an incident management system with its Oversee product, which will be adopted by the National Maritime Operations Centre (NMOC) in Dublin as well as the control centres at Valentia and Malin.

As well as handling live tracking and tasking of services, the Oversee system also provides for performance analysis of historical missions and incidents for greater efficiencies in coastguard resources.

The Irish Examiner has more on the story HERE.

#WaterSafety - Inter-agency efforts to promote safer enjoyment of the water were the order of the day at Operation Safe Water, which took place in Howth Harbour yesterday (Thursday 9 July).

Members of An Garda Siochana, the Irish Coast Guard and the RNLI took part in the first-of-its-kind operation between the three agencies, with the single aim of improving safety awareness among boat users.



The RNLI Coastal Safety Team were on hand to perform safety checks on lifejackets. "A lifejacket is useless if you don’t wear it, but it’s also important to maintain it properly," said Howth RNLI coastal safety officer John McKenna.

"Three simple steps could help to save your life: check that the gas canister is in good condition and screwed in properly, the firing head is within its expiry date and that a crotch strap is attached securely."



The Irish Coast Guard's Howth unit community safety officer Declan Howard led a team reviewing the essential safety equipment boats entering the harbour should be carrying.

“A roadside breakdown is an entirely different situation to one on the water," he said. 'Having no means of communicating your need for help can have grave implications for you as the boat drifts towards rocks or out to sea.

"The waters in Ireland can offer great enjoyment but if you ignore carrying some of the basic safety equipment you put your crew and yourself at risk of injury or worse”.

Howard added: “With no phone masts, mobile phone reception is hit-and-miss on the water. You need another plan to get out of trouble.”

The operation also reminded people of the dangers of cold water. Falling overboard is easy and can happen in seconds; getting back into a boat or even a kayak is not so easy or quick.

Currently Irish waters are 13 degrees; with no protective clothing, after 10-15 minutes hypothermia will commence and you’ll start to lose the ability to move arms and legs to stay afloat. Within an hour you could be unconscious. Survival is anywhere between one and six hours. If you have no way of letting the coastguard know you need help, the alarm might be raised too late.

Colin Murray, officer in charge of the Howth coastguard unit, said: “The job of the lifeboats and the coastguard is to get to you within that hour, your job is to let us know you need help.

"That means having your kit and emergency plan ready before you go on the water – ie marine VHF radios, flares, protective clothing, etc. This is on top of our summer message No Life Jacket? No Excuse. We want people enjoying the waters and coastline but going out prepared and not getting too complacent about the good weather.”


The inter-agency approach brings all stakeholders together with the aim of reducing the number of incidents on the water and coastline in the area and hopefully helping save lives. Water safety booklets will also shortly be distributed in multiple languages.