RNLI

28th February 2011

Howth Lifeboat Rescues Three Vessels

Howth RNLI voluntary lifeboat crew were tasked twice last Friday, to aid three vessels in difficulty off the Howth coast.

The Inshore Lifeboat (ILB) was just returning to the safety of the harbour with two motorboats in tow, when the larger All Weather Lifeboat (ALB) was requested to the aid of a fishing trawler that had also experienced technical failure.

The second motorboat under tow by the voluntary ILB crew suffered engine failure whilst attempting to assist the first stricken craft. They had just reached the harbour mouth when the alarm was raised by a fishing trawler in similar circumstances.

The voluntary crew then transferred to the ALB and went to the rescue of the fishermen. All vessels were towed safely back to Howth harbour.

Patrick Brown, voluntary crewmember for Howth RNLI said:

"Luckily weather conditions were fair this evening, allowing for a speedy recovery of the boats that were in difficulty. However the light was fading at the time of the incidents, highlighting the importance of having safety flares for both commercial and pleasure craft alike. Charitable donations from the public make it possible for the RNLI to continue rescuing those in danger at sea"

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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22nd February 2011

Missing 18-Year Old Found After Two Hour Search in Bangor

A search for a missing 18 year old boy that was launched after his friends feared he had fallen from Central Pier was stood down at 01.50 this morning after he was found hiding in the crew accommodation of a nearby fishing vessel.

The call came in at 23.40 from a member of the marina staff after the boy's two friends had told him that all three of them had climbed over the gate into the pier, but that their friend had not come back and they were concerned that he must have fallen into the water.

Belfast Coastguard sent the Bangor Coastguard Rescue Team to begin a search, as well as requesting the launch of the Bangor RNLI lifeboat. Members of the Police, Ambulance and Fire Service are also on scene.

At 01.50, the boy was found hiding in a compartment in the crew accommodation of a fishing vessel near the pier, and the search was stood down.

Belfast Coastguard Watch Manager Alan Pritchard said:

"This group of three boys had been at a birthday party in the town before climbing the gate this evening to access the pier. Incidents such as these remind of us of the dangers of being in proximity to the water when you have been drinking alcohol – be it going swimming, or walking along cliffs or piers. Although on this occasion the boy has been found safe and well, this could easily have been a much more serious incident."

Published in Coastguard

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20th February 2011

Bangor Lifeboat Reunite Missing Child with Parents

RNLI Bangor Lifeboat launched at 3pm on Sunday 20th February 2011 to search for 6 year old boy reported missing from Lukes Point close to Ballyholme Bay which is on the southern shores of Belfast Lough.

Belfast Coastguard received the initial call for help and requested RNLI Bangor Lifeboat to launch immediately and start searching the shoreline between Lukes Point and Ballyholme Bay.

Within minutes of the rescue pagers being activated volunteer crew at RNLI Bangor Lifeboat had assembled and launched the lifeboat.

Knowing that this type of rescue was time critical, volunteer crew not on board the lifeboat proceeded on foot and by bike to the Ballyholme Bay area.

Thankfully one of the RNLI volunteers on shore spotted the young boy ½ mile from the initial search area and was able to reunite him with his parents.

Peter Semple the volunteer crew member who found the young boy said. 'We are extremely happy and relieved that the young boy has been found'. He added 'We were delighted to reunite him with his parents'.

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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17th February 2011

Crosshaven Lifeboat Recover Body in Ringabella Bay

Crosshaven RNLI Lifeboat report that they have recovered the body of a missing fisherman from the sea at Ringabella Bay after information received from a person on shore. The fisherman was lost when the fishing boat sank almost four weeks ago.

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13th February 2011

RNLI Volunteer Among Cork Plane Crash Dead

A former volunteer with Sunderland RNLI was among the five people who died in the plane crash tragedy at Cork Airport last week, according to BBC News.

Twenty-seven-year-old Andrew Cantle was co-pilot of the ill-fated Manx2 flight which came down in thick fog on Thursday morning.

He had previously spent eight years as a volunteer with RNLI Sunderland in north-east England, joining in 2000. Thereater he moved to York, where be began his career as a commercial pilot. He had only been with Manx2 for a few months before the incident.

The RNLI said Cantle had volunteers on 65 emergency missions and helped save the lives of 66 people.

Sunderland RNLI senior helmsman Paul Nicholson said: "Everyone involved with the lifeboat station is in total shock about the tragic loss of a very close and dear friend."

BBC News has more on the story HERE.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wear-12429693

A former volunteer with Sunderland RNLI was among the five people who died in the plane crash tragedy at Cork Airport last week, according to BBC News.

Twenty-seven-year-old Andrew Cantle was co-pilot of the ill-fated Manx2 flight which came down in thick fog on Thursday morning.

He had previously spent eight years as a volunteer with RNLI Sunderland in north-east England, joining in 2000. Thereafter he moved to York, where be began his career as a commercial pilot. He had only been with Manx2 for a few months before the incident.

The RNLI said Cantle had volunteers on 65 emergency missions and helped save the lives of 66 people.
Sunderland RNLI senior helmsman Paul Nicholson said: "Everyone involved with the lifeboat station is in total shock about the tragic loss of a very close and dear friend."

BBC News has more on the story HERE.

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6th February 2011

Lough Derg Lifeboat Assists Yacht

On Sunday morning February 6, at 11.20hrs, Lough Derg lifeboat Toshiba Wave Warrior towed a 26ft yacht to safety after it got into difficulty in strong winds.

Whilst on exercise on Sunday morning February 6, the Lough Derg Lifeboat, with helm Peter Clarke, Owen Cavanagh and Ger Egan on board, was requested to go to the assistance of four persons on board a 26ft sailing yacht that got into difficulty in strong winds in Dromineer Bay. Winds were south-westerly, Force 6 with a large swell.

The lifeboat came alongside the casualty vessel at 11.09hrs and found that two of the yacht's crew had been taken onto another vessel. The yacht, which had grounded in shallow water, was listing to starboard. With an RNLI crew member on board, the yacht was taken off the shallows at 11.20hrs and towed to the safety of the public harbour in Dromineer. RNLI lifeboat helm, Peter Clarke, said that "given the wind and lake conditions it was a challenging enough rescue and speed and efficiency was paramount."

The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 12mid-day.

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2nd February 2011

Flare Sightings Prompt Kilkeel Search

A search coordinated by Belfast Coastguard that was prompted by several reports of sightings of red flares at the mouth of Carlingford Lough was stood down last evening after nothing was found.

The first sightings of the red flares came in at 18.10 via 999 calls from members of the public reporting that they had seen the flares near the mouth of the Lough, southwest of Kilkeel. Belfast Coastguard issued a relay broadcast to vessels in the area to try and find more information about the potential vessel in distress, and three fishing vessels responded to say that they too had sighted the flares.

Belfast Coastguard then sent the South Down Coastguard Rescue Team, Kilkeel RNLI Inshore Lifeboat and the Irish Coast Guard Helicopter to the scene to begin a search. The three fishing vessels who responded to the initial broadcast also maintained a lookout during this time. The search area was approximately five and a half miles, and three miles offshore, and the search was completed at 20.30 and all resources stood down with nothing found.

Belfast Coastguard Watch Manager Rob Steventon said:

"With good visibility on scene and the search area completely saturated we are satisfied that the red flare sightings were not from a vessel in distress. All sightings of distress flares reported to the Coastguard have to be thoroughly investigated, however a proportion of these turn out to be either Chinese lanterns, or non distress situations, such as people disposing of out of date flares. Members of the public should be aware however, that using flares in a non-emergency situation is against the law."

Notes to Editors

Published in Coastguard

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30th January 2011

Ballycotton Lifeboat Honours Mechanic

On Saturday night, 29 January, a retirement party was held for Michael Lane Walsh in the Schooner Bar, Ballycotton. Michael was a member of the Ballycotton RNLI lifeboat for 37 years, joining when his father, Mikey Lane Walsh, was Coxswain. In 1977 Michael became second mechanic of the RNLI all weather lifeboat and in 1978 he took up the full time position of station mechanic. This is a role he carried out with exceptional diligence until his retirement on Tuesday last, 25 January 2011.

Michael has become well known throughout the RNLI community over the years and the 29 January was marked on several calendars for quite some time as the date they would be travelling to Ballycotton to help celebrate the retirement of an exceptional, modest man.

Lifeboat personnel travelled from RNLI lifeboat stations in Ballyglass Co. Mayo, Achill Island, Courtmacsherry, Rosslare, Helvic and Youghal joining with Ballycotton lifeboat members, family and friends to help celebrate a man's commitment to a job he treated more as a vocation than a job. The Training Divisional Inspector, Owen Medland and Divisional Base Manager, Derek Potter from the RNLI head quarters in Dublin attended and spoke of their long association with Michael Lane Walsh. Several presentations were made with the good wishes from everyone present, along with those from lifeboat crewmembers who were unable to leave their stations. Derek Potter told those present that normally they would be presenting a long service vellum to the retiree but in Michael's case he is not finished yet. For the time being he will not be hanging up his life jacket but will keep it in readiness for the next time someone calls for help from the Ballycotton RNLI lifeboat.

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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25th January 2011

Flare Sighting Sparks Search off Cork Harbour

RNLI lifeboats from Ballycotton and Youghal responded to reports of white flare seen south of Ballycotton in East Cork tonight. The LE Emer was off Power Head, east of Cork Harbour, when the report was received and proceeded to the area also. Having spoken with a fishing vessel in the area they were satisfied there were no problems and the two Lifeboats were stood down.

Unconfirmed reports on Twitter said that the suspected flare sighting was in fact a streaming white light on a vessel.

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25th January 2011

Helly Hansen extends its clothing range for RNLI professionals

Technical clothing brand, Helly Hansen, is continuing to strengthen its ongoing relationship with the RNLI as it announces the renewal of its contract as Official Clothing Supplier to the RNLI's lifeguards, and introduces new kit to keep the charity's professionals protected from the elements.

No stranger to protecting the globe's outdoor professionals from some of the world's harshest environments, Helly Hansen has worked in conjunction with the RNLI, to design and develop a range of products guaranteed to keep the lifeguards comfortable, dry and warm when facing the unpredictable conditions seen throughout the year on Britain's beaches.

lifeguards_hellyhansen

From LIFA patrol shirts and Polartec fleeces to waterproof, breathable jackets and smocks, Helly Hansen is passionate about producing technical clothing to protect the RNLI lifeguards - dedicated to risking their lives to save others.

New kit supplied to the RNLI lifeguards include

The RNLI Poncho is an overhead protection garment inspired by Helly Hansen's renowned workwear collection. The Poncho is quick and easy to remove in times of emergency, and features a 2 layer HellyTech construction, making it the perfect waterproof, breathable outer layer. It covers the knee and seat area, for full body protection, ensuring the lifeguards remain dry in all weather conditions.

The Track Pant is ideal for providing additional warmth on colder days. Made from Polyester, these red pants are quick drying to prevent the lifeguards from feeling the cold and wet.

The RNLI has over 800 lifeguards patrolling over 150 of the UK's beaches throughout the year. In 2009 the beach lifeguards saved more than 120 lives and assisted over 15,000 people. It is believed that two out of three people in the UK will visit a UK beach at least once during 2010, but every year over 7,000 people find themselves in serious difficulty either in the water or on the beaches

Published in Marketplace

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