Shortly after 23:00 tonight, the Coast Guard’s control centre received a call from a member of the public at Rush, six miles South of Skerries, reporting a red distress flare near the coast. A rib heading South near Malahide also contacted the Coast Guard on VHF CH 16 to report spotting the flare.

The Skerries Coast Guard team were immediately despatched to the scene and a detailed search of the area was undertaken. No further flares were sighted and nothing unusual noted. The coast Guard issued a Pan Pan broadcast for all nearby ships to report anything unusual. No further action was required and the team returned to base.

Remember – if you spot someone in difficulty 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 their life.

Incident # 23 of 2011

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

home

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.

home

At 23:15, the volunteers of Skerries Coast Guard were tasked by the Coast Guard’s rescue coordination centre in Dublin (MRCC) to investigate reports of a drifting boat. Several concerned members of the public had contacted the Coast Guard having spotted the boat drifting near the shoreline at Rogerstown estuary, Rush.

The Coast Guard response team arrived at Rogerstown within minutes of the tasking and spoke to several witnesses. It appears that the boat had drifted into the estuary from the South, possibly from Donabate or Portrane. As a precaution, a full Coast Guard shore search team was assembled and placed on standby at the Skerries Coast Guard base.  Weather conditions on scene were excellent, with good visibility, helped somewhat by the full moon.

Following a detailed examination of the boat on scene, the Skerries Coast Guard team established that the boat had simply drifted free of its moorings. The boat was secured at the scene and no further action was required.

Remember! – if you spot someone in difficulty on the coast or cliffs, or if you see something that leads you to think that someone may be in difficulty, diall 999 or 112 and ask for the COAST GUARD. Do not assume that someone else has made that call.

Incident #12 of 2009

home

Weather conditions on scene were fair with good visibility and freshening force 5 Easterly winds.

Fortunately, after a short while the vessel was re-floated. No further action was required and the Skerries Coast Guard team were stood down by MRCC.

Incident # 17 of 2008

home