Lifeboat

15th September 2010

Bangor Lifeboat Crew to Receive Freedom of the Borough

Bangor RNLI volunteers are to be awarded North Down Borough Councils highest honour for their heroic service. Bangor RNLI will be given the Freedom of the Borough on Saturday 18 September 2010 in tribute to its 45 years of sterling service off the shores of North Down.

The Atlantic 85 type lifeboat. the Jessie Hillyard. based in Bangor Harbour has two Yamaha 4-stroke engines giving a top speed of 35 knots. It features state of the art radar, chart plotter VHF radio and radio direction finding technology to enhance its lifesaving capabilities. Volunteer crew at Bangor take pride in a launch time of under four minutes from when their rescue pagers are activated.

Everyone connected with RNLI Bangor Lifeboat - the crew, station management, fundraisers and helpers - are all volunteers, giving freely of their time, braving all weathers, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to help save life at sea.

Bangor's Lifeboat Operations Manager Kevin Byers also a volunteer is looking forward to receiving North Down Borough Councils highest award honouring the work of RNLI Bangor Lifeboat. He said

'We wish to publicly thank North Down Borough Council for their continued support and for honouring RNLI Bangor Lifeboat with this prestigious award' he added.

'It is a truly fitting tribute to the huge commitment and dedication of the Bangor volunteer crew and station personnel both past and present who have devoted so much of their time and effort to lifesaving at sea'

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12th September 2010

Sailor Rescued from Burning Boat off Cork Coast

A lone sailor had just enough time to send out a Mayday Call last night before abandoning his blazing 28-ft pleasure craft nine miles east of Ballycotton Lighthouse on the Cork coast.

Youghal and Ballycotton lifeboat stations responded to the call and Ballycotton lifeboat station spoke of how they could see the black smoke in the distance as they rushed to the lifeboat station. An angling boat in the vicinity recovered the lone sailor from the sea. He was transferred to another angling boat and was immediately taken to Youghal where his condition was assessed by medical personnel.

Youghal and Ballycotton lifeboats were requested by the Coastguard to remain on scene while the pleasure craft blazed. Approximately an hour later the boat sank and the lifeboats returned to station.

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10th September 2010

New Lifeboat for Portrush

The volunteer RNLI lifeboat crew at Portrush have taken delivery of a brand new state of the art Inshore lifeboat and have wasted no time in putting the new lifeboat through its paces.

The new £30,000 lifeboat is named David Roulston (Civil Service No. 52) and replaces the previous lifeboat Ken and Mary D -572 which arrived on station in February 2002. The Ken and Mary was launched 151 times, saving 9 lives, landing 15 persons and bringing in a further 31 people, giving a total rescued of 55.
This new inshore lifeboat was funded by the Civil Service Lifeboat Fund which raised the funds for the lifeboat via staff fundraising within the civil service across the UK and Northern Ireland. Following the tragic drowning of their colleague David Roulston, the staff at Northern Ireland Tourist Board fundraised to cover the upkeep and maintenance of the new lifeboat which has been named in memory of David.
The new boat has a bigger engine 50hp as opposed to 40hp, better stowage and a GPS plotter. The boat is also much faster and thus will be quicker in terms of saving lives at sea around the North Coast.
Speaking about the arrival of the new boat Lifeboat, Operations Manager Robin Cardwell said,

"The crew are very impressed with the performance of their new lifeboat. They have already had intensive training sessions on the boat and are delighted to have it on station in Portrush. The new boat has arrived just as the Station is celebrating its 150th Anniversary and I have no doubt that 'David Roulston' (Civil Service 52) will play a big part in the station's future"

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9th September 2010

Portrush Youngster Raises More Lifeboat Funds

Christy Bradley is Portrush Lifeboats youngest fundraiser and has carried out yet another fundraising event to pay for crew training!

Christy has a special reason to be interested in raising funds for crew training as his dad Gerard is a crew member and Christy's ambition is to be a crew member just like his Dad!
On Monday night Christy aged 9 came to a crew meeting and handed over £150 that he had raised by a 'name the bear' competition.
The bear had been given to Christy (9) by his Grandad Sid Carruthers and Christy decided that this would be the perfect way to raise funds for crew training.

Sandra Malcolmson was the lucky winner, and named the bear 'Bert'. She joined Christy and his dad Gerard crew member Aidy Tohill and Lifeboat Operations manager Robin Cardwell on Monday night to claim 'Bert'

Proud dad Gerard said,
'Christy has always been mad about lifeboats and is already planning his next fundraiser'

Robin Cardwell Lifeboat Operations Manager said

'It's great to see youngsters like Christy giving up their spare time and get involved in the Lifeboat fundraising initiatives. We are delighted that he supports crew training and look forward to his next venture'

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6th September 2010

Galway Lifeboat Launches Twice with Boats in Difficulty

Galway RNLI lifeboat was called out to two separate incidents on Galway Bay yesterday when two boats got into difficulty, one near Barna with three people on board and the other near Galway Docks.

The first incident involved a 30ft sailing boat, which was spotted drifting towards the shore between Rinmore Beach and Galway Docks, known as the Forty Acres. The boat was unoccupied and is understood to have broken its moorings near Mutton Island. The alarm was raised by a passing sailing boat and the Irish Coastguard tasked Galway lifeboat to the scene at approximately 10.40am.

The boat had run up on rocks close to the shore however the lifeboat crew of Helmsman John Byrne, David Oliver and Sean King managed to rig up a tow and bring the boat safely to Galway Docks.

The second callout happened near Barna at approximately 1.35pm. Three people in a 22ft open-deck fishing boat got into difficulty when the engine failed and the boat started drifting onto rocks half a mile west of Barna.

Two of the three people on board were wearing lifejackets and decided to swim for it as the boat veered towards rocks about 500 metres from the shore.

The Irish Coastguard tasked several rescue units to the scene including the Shannon Rescue Helicopter, the Aran Islands lifeboat, Galway lifeboat, and the Irish Coastguard Rescue Unit from Rosaveel. Two Galway Bay Sailing Club rescue boats already out at the club's regatta came across to assist in the rescue when they heard the distress call.

The three people made it safely ashore where Gardai from Salthill were waiting. They did not require medical attention. Attempts were made to take the boat in tow but it wasn't feasible and Galway lifeboat was stood down. The crew on the second callout were Helmsman David Oliver, John Byrne and Olivia Byrne.

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3rd September 2010

Red Bay Crew in Line for '999 Hero Award'

Great to read this morning that the Red Bay RNLI lifeboat crew are in line for an award in the Belast Telegraph's 'Making The Difference Awards'. It is a new scheme to recognise those heroes across Northern Ireland whose stories never get told. The Red Bay lifeboat dramatically rescued a brother and sister from rocks on the north Antrim coast at the start of August. We reported it HERE.

The pair were stranded while walking in the beautiful but dangerous boulder field at Fair Head rock. After raising the alarm the crew quickly launched the Atlantic 85 lifeboat Geoffrey Charles and battled through rough waters to reach them.

In order to get to the frightened pair, a 'lifeline' had to be created with a rope. Lifeboat crew member John Walsh had to bravely put on a drysuit and lifejacket, enter the water and swim out to them.

Helmsman Paddy McLaughlin, who has been a member of the RNLI since he was 17, said it was a difficult operation.

"It was a tricky rescue, it took about three hours all in," he said.

"It was just hard to reach them because of the location of the rocks. But we got them safely ashore."

Mr McLaughlin said they are "just doing what they are trained to do".

"We aren't in it for the glory. As soon as we get the call the training just kicks in," he said.

"I suppose you don't think about it."

31st August 2010

Search for Missing Kayaker Ends After Women's Body Recovered

The search for a missing female kayaker on the Irish sea has been called off after the body of a woman was found in the sea off the Lleyn peninsular this evening.

The search from Lleyn to Morfa Nefyn, Fort Belan and Llanddwyn involved RNLI all weather lifeboats from Holyhead and Porth Dinllaen, two helicopters from the RAF at Valley together with a North Wales Police helicopter and Coastguard Rescue Teams from Aberdaron, Porth Dinllaen and Llandwrog. It resumed after a red Avocet kayak, like the one used by missing female kayaker, was found on the beach at Morfa Nefyn on the Lleyn peninsular this morning.

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31st August 2010

Search Resumes After Missing Kayak Located

Early this morning a red Avocet kayak answering the description of the one used by missing female kayaker, Elizabeth Ashbee, a member of Shrewsbury Kayak Club, was found on the beach at Morfa Nefyn on the Lleyn peninsular. There is no apparent damage to the craft. It has now been confirmed that the craft was the one being used by Ms Ashbee.
The North Wales Police were informed who have now inspected the vessel and the maritime search and rescue operation has now resumed. The family of the missing woman has been informed.

Holyhead RNLI all weather lifeboat was asked to resume its search, and two helicopters from the RAF at Valley together with a North Wales Police helicopter are conducting a shoreline search in Caernarfon Bay, particularly from Lleyn to Morfa Nefyn, Fort Belan and Llanddwyn.
Coastguard Rescue Teams from Aberdaron, Porth Dinllaen and Llandwrog are also engaged in searching the coastline in the Bay.
Holyhead Coastguard have been broadcasting pan signals into area alerting shipping to the resumed search.
The weather on scene is a slight sea, with good visibility and south westerly winds of between 10 – 12 knots.
Ms Ashbee, wearing a dry suit and a buoyancy aid went missing Sunday afternoon in her kayak in poor weather and was last seen heading through rocks at Ynys Feurig, or Starvation Island, close to Rhosneigr. An area of up to 60 square miles has now been covered in the search.
Members of the Shrewsbury Kayak Club have also arrived on scene and are assisting Coastguard units in the search.

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29th August 2010

Lifeboat Rescues Flying Fifteen Crew

A rescue operation to recover a Flying fifteen keelboat and its two crew is underway on Dublin bay this evening. The 20-foot sailing boat capsized in strong north westerly winds in Scotsman's Bay. Both Dun Laoghaire's inshore and offshore lifeboats and a local RIB is at the scene.

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22nd August 2010

New Lifeboat for Shannon Estuary

Volunteers at Kilrush Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station on the Shannon Estuary have received a new state-of-the-art lifeboat which enters service this month.

The Atlantic 85 RIB (Rigid Inflatable boat) is not only bigger and more powerful than Kilrush's existing craft but it also fitted with the latest Search and Rescue technology and instrumentation, equipping the service to continue saving lives into the next generation. Kilrush is one of only two stations in Ireland and the UK which will receive such an upgrade this year.

Following the construction of a new station in 1996, an Atlantic 21 B Class lifeboat was placed on temporary duty at the Kilrush station however it was replaced by a new Atlantic 75 lifeboat the following October. Fourteen years later, this vessel will now be replaced by the new Atlantic 85.

Kilrush Lifeboat Operations Manager John Lamb said, "This is a great vote of confidence in the crew here at Kilrush. It shows that we are doing what is being asked of us and that are being rewarded by being entrusted by this the latest in lifeboat technology and development"

The Atlantic class of lifeboats is named after Atlantic College, where the design was originally developed. Like previous RIBs, it has a manually operated self-righting mechanism, deploying an airbag mounted atop the A-frame arch. It is capable of being beached in an emergency without sustaining damage to engines or steering gear. The Atlantic 85 is fitted with radar and VHF direction finding equipment and can be operated safely in daylight in a force 6/7 and at night in a force 5/6 gale.