Report of boats in difficulty near Rush – 14th September 2011

Skerries Coast Guard rescue vehicle overlooking Lambay Island

 

 This afternoon, the Skerries Coast Guard team were tasked to investigate a report of a boat in difficulty off the coast of Rush, approximately 5 miles South of Skerries. A concerned member of the public had contacted the Coast Guard’s operation centre on 999 to report a yacht that appeared to be in difficulty near Lambay island. The weather conditions on scene were extremely challenging and the yacht appeared to be having difficulty making headway. Of most concern was its proximity to the rocky shores of Lambay isalnd. The Coast Guard helicopter, Rescue 116 was also tasked from its base at Dublin airport.

Upon arriving at Rush, the Skerries Coast Guard team monitored the yacht and observed that it was successfully making good progress away from the shoreline and no further action was required. Before the Skerries team and Rescue 116 had departed, the Coast Guard’s operations centre received another unrelated report from a member of the public at Rush.

A small boat had been spotted drifting out to sea from Rogerstown estuary. The caller was concerned that there may have been a person on board. The coast Guard helicopter, Rescue 116, quickly located the boat approximately 1 mile West of Lambay island and reported no persons on board. Initial investigations by Rescue 116 suggested that the boat’s mooring rope may have snapped in the rough conditions. Nonetheless, an extensive search of the area was immediately undertaken by Rescue 116 and nothing further was sighted. In the meatnime, the Coast Guard managed to trace the boat’s owner who confirmed that it had broken its moorings and that no persons were on board. No further action was required and the Skerries Coast Guard team returned to base.

Incident # 18 of 2011

Remember – if you spot someone in difficulty, even if you only think they could be in difficulty, call 999 or 112 and ask for the COAST GUARD. Your call could save their life.

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Report of capsized boat adrift – 19th August 2011

At 16:25 this afternoon the Coast Guard’s National Maritime Operations Centre received a report of a small capsized boat adrift near Malahide, Co Dublin. A vigilent member of the public had spotted the small boat’s hull drifting in the water, not far from the shore at the Broadmeadows estuary.

The Skerries Coast Guard team were immediately dispatched to investigate. Having arrived on scene within minutes, the team quickly located the capsized boat in the water at the North Western part of the estuary, to the West of the Dublin-Belfast railway line. Initial observations concluded that there was no sign of anyone in the water nearby. At the time there were several other persons engaged in watersports at the estuary including windsurfers and kayakers. The prevailing weather conditions on scene were mixed with good visibilityand clear skies, but strong gusting force 6 Southerly winds.

After brief shoreline searches and investigations , the team located the boat’s owner at the Southern shoreline of the estuary, he confirmed it had drifted away from a mooring and that nobody was on board at the time. The owner was making arrangements to have it righted and retrieved. No further action was required and the team returned to base.

Remember – if you spot someone in difficulty or even if you think that someone could be in difficulty, call 999 or 112 and ask for the COAST GUARD. Your call could save their life.

Incident #17 of 2011

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Report of unmanned jetski adrift – 12th July 2011

Skerries Coast Guard search and rescue

At 19:48 this evening, the volunteers of Skerries Coast Guard were tasked to investigate reports of an unmanned jetski adrift off the Balbriggan coast. A vigilant member of the public contacted the Coast Guard after spotting the object in the water some distance from the shore. The caller believed the object may have been an unmanned jetski adrift.

The Skerries Coast Guard team were immediately tasked to investigate the report. The primary concern in such cases is that the driver may have fallen from the jetski at speed and suffered serious injury. The Skerries team arrived at Balbriggan beach within minutes of the tasking and immediately began a shoreline search. The object was quickly identified and after detailed observation the team established it was a very small leisure craft, with persons on board. The vessel was not in difficulty and no further action was required.

Remember – if you spot someone in difficulty on the coast, or even if you only think that someone could be in difficulty, dial 999 or 112 and ask for the COAST GUARD. Do not assume someone else had made the call.

Incident #16 of 2011

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Report of persons cut off by tide – 8th July 2011

At 23:47 tonight the Skerries Coast Guard team were tasked to investigate a report of persons stranded on Shenick Island, off the coast of Skerries. A concerned member of the public had spotted what they thought could be persons on the remote island. The island is frequently accessible on foot at low tides and unfortunately, in the past, members of the public have been caught out by the incoming tide.

The Skerries team were on scene within minutes and conducted a thorough search of the shoreline. The team did not observe anyone on the island or anything unusual in the area. Visibility in the search area was good with fair weather conditions. No further action was required and the team returned to base.

Remember – if you spot someone in difficulty on the coast, or even if you only think that someone could be in difficulty. Dial 999 or 112 and ask for the COAST GUARD. Your call could save a life.

Incident #15 of 2011

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