Live Air to Surface firing at Gormanston Range – September 2013

Marine Notice #41 of 2013

The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport has been advised by the Defence Forces that the “Flying Training School”, Irish Air Corps, will conduct live Air to Surface firing practices on the following dates:

Ranges active from:
From 9th September 2013 to 14th September 2013 inclusive;
From 16th September 2013 to 21st September 2013 inclusive;
From 23rd September 2013 to 27th September 2013 inclusive.

Time:       08:00 to 17:00 Hours daily.

The danger area comprises the lands of Gormanston Aerodrome and the Air and Sea areas contained within a radius of 3 nautical miles centred on Gormanston Aerodrome with an additional area contained within a segment centred on Gormanston Aerodrome and bearing of 015º degrees true, through Mosney Railway Station and 106º degrees true, through Gormanston Railway Station seawards for a distance of 10 nautical miles.

Surface area to be engaged will be the beach area inside the ‘D1’ at Gormanston.

For the periods whilst the Range is active the sea zone within the danger area is excluded to all vessels.  A Naval Service patrol vessel will enforce the exclusion zone.  The exclusion zone ‘D1’ is indicated on British Admiralty Chart No. 44. All vessels are advised that they are required to remain outside of the exclusion zone whilst the Range is active.  All vessels in the area are recommended to carefully monitor the Radio Navigation Warnings that will be broadcast during the firing period.

Aercorps AW139

The full text of this Marine Notice is available from the Deprtment’s website.

Live firing at Gormanston Range

Live firing Gormonston

The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport have issued Marine Notice #31 of 2013 advising the public of forthcoming live surface to air firing at Gormanston Range on 17th July 2013 from 11:30 to 13:30 BST.

The danger area comprises the lands of Gormanston Aerodrome and the Air and Sea areas contained within a radius of 3 nautical miles centred on Gormanston Aerodrome, with an additional area contained within a segment centred on Gormanston Aerodrome and bearing of 015º degrees true, through Mosney Railway Station and 106º degrees true, through Gormanston Railway Station seawards for a distance of 10 nautical miles. For the periods whilst the Range is active the sea zone within the danger area is excluded to all vessels.

A Naval Service patrol vessel will enforce the exclusion zone. The exclusion zone ‘D1’ is indicated on British Admiralty Chart No. 44.

All vessels are advised that they are required to remain outside of the exclusion zone whilst the Range is active.

All vessels in the area are recommended to carefully monitor the Radio Navigation Warnings that will be broadcast during the firing period.

Marine Notice # 19 of 2013 – Alerting of Emergency Response Authorities

The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport have recently issued Marine Notice #19 of 2013 – Alerting of Emergency Response Authorities. This included the following guidance:

The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport wishes to bring to the attention of all Shipowners, Fishing Vessel Owners, Shipmasters, Skippers, Fishermen, Yachtsmen and Seafarers a recent report by the Marine Casualty Investigation Board, MCIB, into the sinking of the “MFV Tit Bonhomme”. The full report may be obtained from the website of the Marine Casualty Investigation Board, at www.mcib.ie.

The report made a number of safety recommendations, one of which is that attention should be drawn to the necessity for Skippers encountering situations where the safety of the vessel and its crew are potentially put at risk to alert the appropriate shore authorities advising them of the situation and what assistance the vessel may require.

In Ireland the competent national authority in this regard is the Irish Coast Guard. Alerting the Coast Guard should be done via one of its three Coordination Centres at Dublin, Malin Head or Valentia Island on marine VHF Channel 16 or working channels or Medium Frequency (MF).  Alternatively, if no other option is available, dial 112 and ask for the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard should be notified in the first instance before contacting any local emergency response organisations.

Early alerting of Search and Rescue authorities

Masters and Skippers should not delay in notifying the Irish Coast Guard if a problem is, or may be, developing which could involve the need for assistance. This allows the Coast Guard to carry out preliminary and contingency planning that could make the critical difference if the situation worsens.

The full text of the Marine Notice is available from the Department’s website.

Marine Notice #51 of 2012 – Live surface to air firing practices at Gormonston

The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport has issued Marine Notice #51 of 2012 advising of live surface to air firing practices at the Gormonston air defence range. Firing will take place:

Date:   19th – 20th September 2012

Time:   11:00 to 15:00 hours on each day.

The danger area comprises the lands of Gormanston Aerodrome and the Air and Sea areas contained within a radius of 3 nautical miles centred on Gormanston Aerodrome, with an additional area contained within a segment centred on Gormanston Aerodrome and bearing of 015º degrees true, through Mosney Railway Station and 106º degrees true, through Gormanston Railway Station seawards for a distance of 10 nautical miles. For the periods whilst the Range is active the sea zone within the danger area is excluded to all vessels.

A Naval Service vessel will enforce the exclusion zone. The exclusion zone ‘D1’ is indicated on British Admiralty Chart No. 44. All vessels are advised that they are required to remain outside of the exclusion zone whilst the Range is active. All vessels in the area are recommended to carefully monitor the Radio Navigation Warnings that will be broadcast during the firing period.

Skerries Coast Guard – a voluntary rescue unit of the Irish Coast Guard