Skerries harbour – 20th February 2015

Skerries Coast Guard were tasked today to investigate a report of a fishing vessel which had swamped at Skerries harbour. Unfortunately the vessel, which was moored alongside the harbour quay, was swamped by the incoming tide during the night. The Skerries Coast Guard team inspected the harbour area and no pollution was noted. The Coast Guard’s Sikorsky helicopter later performed an aerial observation of the area and nothing further was observed.

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

Remember – if you spot someone in difficulty along the coast, dial 999 or 112 and ask for the COAST GUARD. Your call could save their life.

Exercise with Coast Guard helicopter – 24 August 2014

Skerries Coast Guard Rescue 116

Early this morning the Skerries Coast Guard team were out in force at Red Island, Skerries for a routine training exercise with the Coast Guard’s Dublin based Sikorsky helicopter. The team selected and prepared the landing site, deploying smoke flares to assist the helicopter crew with wind speed/direction assessment. The Sikorsky S92 helicopter, EI-ICR, landed on at Red Island at 09:30, having made the trip from its base at Dublin Airport in approximately 10 minutes.

The Skerries team were also joined by their fellow volunteers from the neighbouring station of Clogherhead Coast Guard. All members took part in a briefing and practical exercise, covering key SAR operational procedures.

The helicopter departed shortly before 12:00, after completing a winching exercise at the Red Island site. The Skerries Coast Guard team would like to thank all the public fo complying with the directions of Coast Guard personnel while this exercise took place.

Photos of this and earlier exercises will be shortly available in our online gallery.

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

Rescue at Portrane – May 31st 2014

Skerries Coast Guard Rescue 116

At 20:30 this evening the Skerries Coast Guard team were tasked to assist with the rescue of an injured male at Portrane, Co Dublin. The Coast Guard’s Rescue 116 Sikorsky helicopter was also scrambled from its nearby base at Dublin airport. Several units of Dublin Fire Brigade and HSE were also attending the incident on scene. The casualty appeared to have suffered injuries following a fall on the shoreline and required evacuation from the area.

Given the challenging landscape, the casualty was quickly evacuated using a highline winch transfer to the Coast Guard’s Rescue 116 helicopter.

Remember – if you spot someone in difficulty on the coast, dial 999 or 112 and ask for the COAST GUARD. Your call could save a life.

Kitesurfer in difficulty – 24th May 2014

Rescue 116

Shortly before 18:00 this evening, the Coast Guard’s Maritime Coordination Centre received public reports of a kitesurfer in difficulty near Shenick Island, Skerries. The concerned 999 callers reported to the Coast Guard that while the kitesurfer was close to shore, they appeared to have difficulty with their equipment.

The Skerries Coast Guard team were paged to the scene and the Coast Guard’s Rescue 116 helicopter was scrambled from its nearby base at Dublin Airport. The Skerries lifeboat was also requested to assist. The Skerries Coast Guard team arrived on scene within minutes and quickly located the stricken kitesurfer, who was wading slowly towards shore, assisted by two other kitesurfers.

The Skerries Coast Guard team assisted the casualty from the water and established that they were uninjured. No further assistance was required and Dublin Coast Guard stood down all rescue assets. The Skerries Coast Guard team assisted the kitesurfer recover all their equipment back up the beach.

The kitesurfer had earlier suffered a problem with their kite safety line while close to the South Strand beach and sensibly ceased surfing and began making their way ashore when the alarm was raised.

Remember – if you spot someone in difficulty dial 999 or 112 an ask for the COAST GUARD. Your call could save their life.