The Skerries Coast Guard team were tasked to Loughshinny to investigate, arriving on scene within minutes. After carrying out a search of the area and observing the lights, the team concluded that no further action was required and the lights were not from a vessel in difficulty.

Remember – if you spot someone in difficulty on the coast, 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 their life.

Incident # 21 of 2011

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At 19:55 this evening the Irish Coast Guard’s control centre received a 999 report from a member of the public who had spotted a flare near Loughshinny. The caller, who was on the water at the time, reported the flare to be white in colour and its trajectory resembled that of a marine parachute flare. The Skerries Coast Guard team were immediately dispatched to Loughshinny, 3 miles South of Skerries, to investigate the report.

Weather conditions on scene were favourable with light Force 4 SW winds, fair weather and good visibility. The area was thouroughly searched with nothing unusual noted. No further action requried and the team returned to base.

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

Incident # 20 of 2011

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This morning, the Skerries Coast Guard volunteers were out in force for a land search training exercise at Loughshinny, 3 miles South of Skerries. With clear skies and light winds providing excellent weather conditions on scene.

The training was centered on the scenario of a missing person search of the remote grassland area. The area of the exercise has been the focus for several missing person incidents that the Skerries team were tasked to in recent years.

 The team’s 4WD vehicle acted as the on site communications and control base for the exercise. The volunteers were split into separate search teams, each tasked to search designated zones. The searches progressed well and all objects successfully located. 

For the final search exercise, the search zone moved to an area of mixed and undulating grassland, dissected by a small river. Again, the teams were challenged by the rough terrain, however the search objects were successfully locate.

You can view more photos of this exercise in our online photo gallery

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

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This evening, the Skerries Coast Guard team took part in a night search training exercise at Loughshinny. This scenario based exercise was based on a person being reported missing the in area. With prevailing sub zero temperatures, the team were tasked to search a large grassland area with mixed terrain. Several illumination rocket flares were also deployed during the exercise and proved to be very useful in assisting with the search.

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At 19:45 this evening, the volunteers of Skerries Coast Guard were tasked to investigate a report of a distress flare sighted in the sky near Loughshinny. A vigilant member of the public had contacted the Coast Guard on 999 to report sighting a distress flare off the coast of Loughshinny, approximately 5 miles South of Skerries. With good visibility and fair weather, the Skerries team conducted a shoreline search in the Loughshinny and Rush areas. Nothing unusual was noted and no further flares were sighted. The team were stood down and returned to base.

Remember – if you see someone in difficulty at sea or on the coast, even if you think that someone may be in difficulty, call 999 or 112 and ask for the COAST GUARD.

Incident # 20 of 2010

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This morning, the volunteers of Skerries Coast Guard joined forces with their flank station of Howth, and together with the Balbriggan Order of Malta, staged a major rescue training exercise. This was the first time that Skerries Coast Guard and the Order of Malta medics  have held joint training and it proved very worthwhile and successful.

The exercise was based on the scenario of an injured person requiring rescue from a remote cove in Loughshinny, about 3 miles South of Skerries. At high tide, this cove is only accessible by boat, and so in this instance required a water borne deployment of the rescue team. The Skerries Coast Guard rescue team boarded the Howth Coast Guard patrol boat at Skerries harbour. The team were then quickly deployed to the scene at Loughshinny.

Once on scene, the Skerries Coast Guard team located, assessed and stabilised the casualty. As suspected spinal injuries were involved, the casualty required full spinal immobilisation. The rescue team treated other minor fracture and bleeding injuries the casualty had suffered. The key priority being to stabilise the casualty’s condition, until the arrival of the medics, when full spinal immobilisation and evacuation could take place.

The Howth boat collected the Order of Malta EMT medics from Loughinny pier and transferred them to the scene.

Once on scene, the medics assumed control of the casualty care. The casualty’s fractures were immobilised in splints and full spinal immobilisation was also effected. Oxygen therapy was also provided.

Once the casualty was sufficiently treated, the priority then moved to evacuating to the waiting ambulance at the pier. Together with the help of the boat team, the casualty was successfully transferred to the Howth boat and arrived safely on the pier to the waiting ambulance.

The scenario was repeated, allowing for a change of personnel in the teams.

Overall the exercise was a great success, proving immensely challenging and realistic. In particular, the Coast Guard would like to thank the Balbriggan Order of Malta for their enthusiastic contribution to the exercise.

More photos are available in our online photo gallery.

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This morning, the Skerries Coast Guard team conducted a coastal rescue exercise near Loughshinny harbour, 5 miles South of Skerries. This centered on the scenario of the Skerries team tasked to search for a person who had failed to return home from a planned walk of the area.

After a briefing on scene, two search teams were dispatched to search both the pier and the beach area. As the search progressed southwards, the teams successfully located the casualty. The exercise then focused on the team assessing the casualty’s injuries and administering first aid, while awaiting the arrival of additional resources.

For this scenario, the teams were presented with the scenario of the casualty having fallen from the cliff top to the beach below. While the casualty was conscious with minor fractures, their suspected spinal injuries required full spinal immobilisation and evacuation to be effected.

The exercise was repeated, with the casualty having suffered varying degrees of injuries.

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At 20:40 this evening, the Coast Guard’s national rescue centre received several public reports of persons in difficulty on cliffs near Loughshinny harbour. The concerned members of the public had contacted the Coast Guard on 999 as the three male youths were on the cliffs shouting for help. Apparently the youths had climbed down a dangerous section of the cliff top and had become trapped on a small ledge.

With darkness approaching, the Coast Guard immediately scrambled its Sikorsky S61 rescue helicopter (Rescue 116)  from its base at Dublin Airport. The Skerries Coast Guard crew were tasked to the scene, along with local Gardai. As a precautionary measure, the Coast Guard also requested the launch of the Skerries lifeboat.

Upon arriving at the scene, the Coast Guard helicopter swiftly rescued the three youths, winching each one in turn to the safety of the cliff top. Once there, the youths were received by the Skerries Coast Guard team and Gardai. Fortunately none of the youths were injured and were escorted from the scene shortly afterwards.

The Coast Guard would remind members of the public to exercise extreme caution when on or near cliff tops. In particular, the Loughshinny cliffs have a history of cliff falling accidents in recent years, regrettably many of them fatal.

Remember – if you spot someone in trouble on or near the coast, dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard.

Incident # 18 of 2010

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The Skerries Coast Guard team were paged at 16:50 this evening to assist kayakers in difficulty near Loughshinny. Concerned members of the public had contacted the Coast Guard on 999 to report that several kayakers had been blown offshore by the strong westerly gales and were struggling to return. The Coast Guard also tasked Rescue 116 (the Coast Guard helicopter) and requested the launch of the Skerries lifeboat.

Fortunately, a local fishing boat managed to assist the kayakers in returning to shore. Local lifeguards on duty at the  scene provided shoreline assistance, thankfully none of the kayakers required medical treatment.

Incident # 13 of 2010

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Skerries Coast Guard team members undertook a practical Triage training exercise on Loughshinny Beach earlier this evening. All members were briefed on Triage principles beforehand. This involves a process in which a group of casualties is sorted and prioritised relative to their need for care. The nature of the illness, or injury, the severity of the problem and the facilities available, govern the process thus allowing a an unthinkable situation more manageable.