This morning, members of the Skerries Coast Guard team were out at the Portrane/Donabate peninsula for a landing of the Coast Guard’s Dublin based Sikorsky S92 helicopter (Rescue 116). The helicopter landing was eagerly awaited by a large crowd of 450 primary pupils of Donabate’s Scoil Phadraic Cailini.

The Skerries team prepared the landing site for the helicopter at Donabate’s St Pats GAA Club. Orange smoke flares were deployed to assist with wind speed/direction indication for the helicopter crew. After a couple of circuits, the helicopter landed down safely at Donabate shortly after 09:30. Once shutdown was complete, each class of pupils along with their teacher were provided with an enjoyable and informative tour of the impressive Coast Gaurd helicopter by a member of the flight crew. Included in these talks was also important advice on water safety, particularly vital as we approach the summer holidays.

After almost 1.5 hours on scene at Donabate, the visit concluded and the Coast Guard helicopter departed back to its nearby base at Dublin Airport. Skerries Coast Guard would like to sincerely thank the Principal of the school at Donabate, Margaret O’Neill, for her assistance in organising this Coast Guard visit to the school.

This helicopter visit is one of the many water safety awareness talks and events organised by Skerries Coast Guard each year with local schools in our operational area from Laytown to Malahide.  For more information on these water safety visits, take a look at our Water Safety page.

More photos of the visit will shortly be available in our online gallery.

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