This morning, the Skerries Coast Guard team conducted a search training exercise at Bremore, one mile north of Balbriggan harbour. This scenario based exercise included a detailed shore search covering several miles of the North Balbriggan coast. Weather on scene was favourable, with good visibility and dry conditions. As part of the exercise, the team also fired several marine flares. Photos of this exercise are available in our online gallery.

Remember – if you spot someone in difficulty, 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.

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

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Just before 01:00 this morning, the Skerries Coast Guard team were tasked to investigate a report of a white flare near Gormonston, two miles North of Balbriggan harbour. A vigilent member of the public had spotted what appeared to be a white parachute flare just off the coast and was concerned it could have been from a ship in distress.

The Skerries Coast Guard team were dispatched to investigate and carried out a thorough search of the area with nothing unusual reported. No further action was required and the team returned to base.

Remember – if you spot someone in difficulty, 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 # 22 of 2011

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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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The Skerries Coast Guard team were immediately dispatched to investigate. Having arrived on scene within minutes, the team quickly located the capsized boat in the water at the North Western part of the estuary, to the West of the Dublin-Belfast railway line. Initial observations concluded that there was no sign of anyone in the water nearby. At the time there were several other persons engaged in watersports at the estuary including windsurfers and kayakers. The prevailing weather conditions on scene were mixed with good visibilityand clear skies, but strong gusting force 6 Southerly winds.

After brief shoreline searches and investigations , the team located the boat’s owner at the Southern shoreline of the estuary, he confirmed it had drifted away from a mooring and that nobody was on board at the time. The owner was making arrangements to have it righted and retrieved. No further action was required and the team returned to base.

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

Incident #17 of 2011

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At 19:48 this evening, the volunteers of Skerries Coast Guard were tasked to investigate reports of an unmanned jetski adrift off the Balbriggan coast. A vigilant member of the public contacted the Coast Guard after spotting the object in the water some distance from the shore. The caller believed the object may have been an unmanned jetski adrift.

The Skerries Coast Guard team were immediately tasked to investigate the report. The primary concern in such cases is that the driver may have fallen from the jetski at speed and suffered serious injury. The Skerries team arrived at Balbriggan beach within minutes of the tasking and immediately began a shoreline search. The object was quickly identified and after detailed observation the team established it was a very small leisure craft, with persons on board. The vessel was not in difficulty and no further action was required.

Remember – if you spot someone in difficulty on the coast, or even if you only think that someone could be in difficulty, dial 999 or 112 and ask for the COAST GUARD. Do not assume someone else had made the call.

Incident #16 of 2011

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At 23:47 tonight the Skerries Coast Guard team were tasked to investigate a report of persons stranded on Shenick Island, off the coast of Skerries. A concerned member of the public had spotted what they thought could be persons on the remote island. The island is frequently accessible on foot at low tides and unfortunately, in the past, members of the public have been caught out by the incoming tide.

The Skerries team were on scene within minutes and conducted a thorough search of the shoreline. The team did not observe anyone on the island or anything unusual in the area. Visibility in the search area was good with fair weather conditions. No further action was required and the team returned to base.

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

Incident #15 of 2011

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At 23:35 tonight, Skerries Coast Guard were tasked by the Coast Guard’s operations centre to investigate a report of distress flares. A vigilant member of the public near Howth had contacted the Coast Guard to report sighting what appeared to be two distress flares in the sky North of Lambay Island, off the coast of Rush. Skerries Coast Guard conducted a shoreline search of the area and no further flares were sighted. The Coast Guard helicopter R116, returning from a search South of Dublin, conducted a sweep of the area with nothing to report. The search was concluded and the Skerries Coast Guard team returned to base.

Incident #14 of 2011

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At 02:45 this morning, the Coast Guard’s operations centre received radio traffic on VHF CH16 suggesting that a vessel was in distress off the coast of Rush village, 4 miles South of Skerries. Based on the initial information received, the Coast Guard tasked the Skerries Coast Guard team to conduct a shoreline search of the area. Other vessels in the immediate area included a Fishing boat and crews working on the East-West power interconnector rig and platform. These crews also maintained a lookout. Visibility was excellent, with strong breaking light, only very slight winds and a calm sea. Following the extensive search nothing unusual was found and the Skerries team were stood down.

Incident #13 of 2011

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At 19:17 this evening, the volunteers of Skerries Coast Guard were tasked to investigate a missing person report. A vigilant member of the public had contacted the Coast Guard on 999. They had spotted a person entering the water on Portrane beach and minutes later noted that they had failed to return. The Coast Guard immediately launched a major rescue operation, tasking all of the State’s emergency services to the area (Gardai, Fire Brigade, Ambulance, and Coast Guard rescue teams). The Coast Guard helicopter, Rescue 116, based nearby at Dublin Airport was scrambled to the scene. The Howth all weather lifeboat was on exercise in the area and was also requested to assist. With darkness falling rapidly, a search of the Portrane shoreline commenced. Fortunately, the person was quickly spotted and rescued from the water some distance from the shore. The casualty was evacuated from the scene for medical treatment.

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

Incident # 23 of 2010

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At 02:55 this morning, the volunteers of Skerries Coast Gaurd were tasked to respond to an incident. The Coast Guard’s rescue coordination centre had received a 999 call from a distressed member of the public to report that they had been cut off by an incoming tide and were in urgent need of assistance. With little details available to determine the exact location, the Coast Guard tasked several search teams to assist in locating the individual. Fortunately, more information was received in due course which pinpointed Laytown beach as the person’s location. As this was outside the team’s response area, no further action was required by the Skerries team. Coast Guard teams and Gardai from the Laytown area effected the rescue.

Incident # 22 of 2010

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