Marine Rescue News from Ireland
Loughs Agency staff traded their water testing kits for wetsuits and rescue lines after undergoing vital swift water training with the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS). The collaboration stemmed from NIFRS seeking information about potential training exercises on…
Major Rescue in Irish Sea as Lifeboats Respond to Fishing Vessel Mayday
9th March 2024 RNLI Lifeboats
RNLI lifeboats from Ireland and the UK launched to a Mayday distress call from a fishing vessel taking on water on Friday (8 March). The 24-metre Irish trawler had five crew onboard and was some 21 nautical miles northwest of…
European Ombusdman Calls for Independent Inquiry Into Large Number of Mediterranean Deaths
1st March 2024 Rescue
A European Ombudsman inquiry into Frontex’s role in search and rescue operations says that the current rules leave the EU’s border and coast guard agency unable fully to fulfil its fundamental rights obligations. The inquiry says Frontex has no internal…
Drone Firm Touts Successful Test of AI-Powered Aircraft in Italian Coastguard Exercise
6th February 2024 Rescue
A Portuguese drone company has confirmed the successful deployment of an inflatable lifeboat from one of its drones as part of an exercise with the Italian Coast Guard. According to Marine Industry News, the Tekever AR5 drone — which resembles…
Police officers in Coleraine have been praised after their rescue of two kayakers from the River Bann in Northern Ireland earlier this week. Dog walkers noticed the kayakers had gotten into difficulty in the river at around 6.20pm on Tuesday…
River Shannon Focus of Major Incident Exercise Planned for UL Students
31st December 2023 Shannon Estuary
A swift water rescue in the River Shannon is one of several situations which students will have to respond to at a major incident exercise at the University of Limerick. Loading a stretcher onto an Irish Coast Guard helicopter while…
Irish Coast Guard, RNLI and Water Safety Ireland Issue Water-Based Activities Advice for the Festive Season
21st December 2023 Coastguard
The Coast Guard, Water Safety Ireland and the RNLI have issued a joint appeal for the festive season, urging people to be mindful of the potential risks with their chosen activity and attend to their personal safety in planning and…
‘All in a Row’ Marathon River Liffey Charity Challenge Aims to Break 1,000km Rowing Target
24th November 2023 Coastal Rowing
‘All In A Row Charity Liffey Challenge 2023’ is coming to the capital’s River Liffey on Saturday, 2nd December, with a challenge for rowing teams to smash a 1,000km target in eight hours. 22 rowing clubs will row the challenge…
Outstanding courage in sea and river rescues has been recognised in the National Bravery Awards presented at Dublin’s Farmleigh House today (Friday, Nov 10). A total of 26 certificates, six bronze medals,13 silver medals and a posthumous gold medal were…
Reported marine casualties and incidents involving ships flying an EU flag or within EU waters fell in 2022, the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) says. Its annual overview says 2022 was “a positive year in terms of the reduction or…
Skyhope - The Story of a Thirsty Ship and an Epic Rescue Recalled for RTÉ Radio Doc on One
31st October 2023 Fishing
hileThe role of three fishermen in rescuing the crew of a ship off Kerry in 1977 after the violent death of one of their colleagues is recalled in a newly released documentary for the RTÉ Doc on One radio series.…
International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) Award Winners Honour the Global Maritime SAR Community
19th October 2023 Rescue
The winners of this year's International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) Awards have been announced in recognition of all those involved in global maritime search and rescue (SAR) efforts. The IMRF Awards acknowledge those that have shown excellence in their field,…
Coast Guard, Community Rescue and Mountain Rescue Teams Profiled in TG4 Series
27th September 2023 Maritime TV
The work of the Irish Coast Guard, mountain rescue and community rescue boat teams is profiled in a new series filmed last autumn for TG4. Tarrthálaithe na hÉireann, an eight-part series, was made by Big Mountain Productions and starts on…
Issues With Access to Lough Neagh ‘Will Cost Lives’ Says Community Rescue Group
27th August 2023 Northern Ireland Waters
Lough Neagh Rescue says interference with access to the water due to silting issues “will cost lives”, as BelfastLive reports. The Northern Ireland community lifeboat group said two call-outs in recent days were delayed due to silt blockages at Maghery…
Complaint by Whistleblower on Under-Recording of Lifeguard Rescues in Clare Upheld
21st August 2023 Rescue
An investigation into a claim under protected disclosure by a senior lifeguard that rescues off Co Clare’s coastline was under-recorded has found a discrepancy of 44 per cent in the figures. As The Sunday Independent reports, the investigation into the…
RNLI Testing Specialised Drone Technology to Aid in Rescues and Water Safety
19th August 2023 RNLI Lifeboats
The RNLI has partnered with the UK’s Royal Life Saving Society to test the use of drones in emergency responses. As Marine Industry News reports, RNLI lifeguards in Cornwall have been using a waterproof drone from Swell Pro to help…