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Displaying items by tag: Liverpool

27th November 2010

Man Drowns Trying to Rescue Dog

A man has been pronounced deceased at Lancaster Hospital after being rescued from the River Lune in Lancaster this afternoon.

At 2.12 pm a member of the public called Liverpool Coastguard to report that they could see a man in the water near the weir of the River Lune in Halton.  Further information yielded that the man had jumped into the river after his dog had got into difficulty, but that the man himself could not swim.

Liverpool Coastguard tasked Knott End and Morecambe Coastguard Rescue Teams, the Morecambe RNLI inshore lifeboat and hovercraft, swift water rescue technicians from Lancashire Fire and Rescue Services and a rescue helicopter from RAF Valley.

At 3pm the man was recovered and treated by waiting paramedics.  He was transferred to Lancaster Hospital but was later pronounced deceased.

Liverpool Coastguard Watch Manager Paul Parkes said:

"This is a tragic incident where a dog owner has entered the water to try and rescue his pet and sadly, has not survived.  We understand that for many people, a dog can be like a member of the family, but we would advise that people dial 999 and call the Coastguard if your pet gets into difficulty on the coast as we can send teams with specialist training and equipment to perform a rescue."

Published in Coastguard

At 5.30 pm last night Liverpool Coastguard were alerted to a local 15 year old girl in difficulty by the Leasowe Lighthouse on Moreton Common, Wirral, on Merseyside on the far side of the Irish Sea . She was completely cut off by the tide about 100 metres out on the nearby sandbank.

The Hoylake Coastguard Rescue Team were alerted as was the RNLI New Brighton hovercraft and West Kirby inshore lifeboat.

In the meantime the local Coastguard Sector Manager Steve Travis along with his team deployed their mud sled and recovered the girl to dry land.

By 6.30 pm this evening the girl was safely back at home with her mum.

Paul Kirby, Duty Watch Manager at Liverpool Coastguard said

"Our thanks are due to Steve and his team and the RNLI crews from Hoylake and West Kirby for responding so promptly to our call.

As the evenings are now darker after the clocks went back, swift tides and sandbanks can present a major problem for the unwary in the darkness. Please take care when going anywhere near tidal waters and make sure you know the times of the tides."

Published in Coastguard
Page 5 of 5

Whether you're a boat enthusiast, historian, archaeologist, fisherman, or just taken by the natural beauty of Ireland's waterways, you will find something of interest in our Inland pages on Afloat.ie.

Inland Waterways

Ireland is lucky to have a wealth of river systems and canals crossing the country that, while once vital for transporting goods, are today equally as important for angling, recreational boating and of course tourism.

From the Barrow Navigation to the Erne System, the Grand Canal, the Lower Bann, the Royal Canal, the Shannon-Erne Waterway and the Shannon Navigation, these inland waterways are popular year in, year out for anyone with an interest in rambling; flora and fauna; fishing; sailing; motorboating; canoeing, kayaking and waterskiing; and cruising on narrowboats.

Although most will surely identify Ireland's inland waterways with boating holidays and a peaceful afternoon's angling, many varieties of watersport are increasingly favoured activities. Powerboat and Jetski courses abound, as do opportunities for waterskiing or wakeboarding. For those who don't require engine power, there's canoeing and kayaking, as Ireland's waterways have much to offer both recreational paddlers and those looking for more of a challenge. And when it comes to more sedate activities, there's nothing like going for a walk along a canal or river bank following some of the long-distance Waymarked Ways or Slí na Sláinte paths that criss-cross the country.

Ireland's network of rivers, lakes and canals is maintained by Waterways Ireland, which is one of the six North/South Implementation Bodies established under the British-Irish Agreement in 1999. The body has responsibility for the management, maintenance, development and restoration of inland navigable waterways on the island of Ireland, principally for recreational purposes. It also maintains Ireland's loughs, lakes and channels which are sought after for sailing; the network of canal locks and tow paths; as well as any buoys, bridges and harbours along the routes.

Along the Grand and Royal Canals and sections of the Barrow Navigation and the Shannon-Erne Waterway, Waterways Ireland is also responsible for angling activities, and charges Inland Fisheries Ireland with carrying out fisheries development, weed management and ensuring water quality.

Brian Goggin's Inland Blog

Giving his personal perspective on Ireland's Inland Waterways from present-day activities to their rich heritage, Brian Goggin tells it like it is with his Inland Blog.

From recognising achievements in management of the waterways to his worries on the costs of getting afloat on Ireland's canals, Goggin always has something important to say.

He also maintains the website Irish Waterways History that serves as a repository for a wealth of historical accounts of the past commercial and social uses alike of Ireland's rivers and canals, which were once the lifeblood of many a rural community.