End of an era as Wicklow RNLI bid farewell to the Tyne class lifeboat

Event: Final launch of the last Tyne class lifeboat in the RNLI fleet

Venue: Wicklow RNLI Lifeboat Station, East Pier, Wicklow

Date/time: Sunday 28 April 2019. Final launch at 1.30pm (preparation for launch from 12.30pm at lifeboat station).

The historic vessel will launch for the final time at Wicklow lifeboat station on Sunday 28 April at 1:30pm and will be joined by a flotilla of vessels including lifeboats from the flanking RNLI stations at Dun Laoghaire and Arklow.

The Tyne class lifeboat has been retired by the RNLI as it has been replaced by faster classes of lifeboats capable of up to 25 knots; the Tyne class could reach 18 knots at full speed. The Tyne all-weather lifeboat was the first fast slipway-launched lifeboat in the Institution.

The lifeboat will available to view by the public on the slip at the East Pier from 10am on Sunday morning. At 12:30pm the lifeboat will be prepared for launching, which will take place at 1.30pm. The lifeboat will be honoured on its departure with a flotilla made up of local and RNLI boats.

The Tyne class lifeboat was officially retired from the RNLI at the Wicklow lifeboat station on Friday 5 April after 30 years of service there. During that period, the lifeboat was launched over 348 times on callouts and rescued 408 people. The Tyne was introduced into the RNLI fleet in 1982 with the final one built in 1990. While the last Tyne is at Wicklow, there have been Tyne class lifeboats on service in Ireland at Arranmore, Lough Swilly, Kilmore Quay and Baltimore.

Speaking ahead of the launch, Wicklow RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager Des Davitt commented: ‘It will be a very emotional time for some of the crew who have served for almost thirty years on this historic lifeboat. She has been as much a part of the crew as any volunteer that passed through our doors and she has earned her retirement.’

‘We would love people to come down to the station to say goodbye to Annie and wish her fair winds on her last passage as a lifeboat.’

The Annie Blaker lifeboat was replaced by the relief Shannon class lifeboat Jock and Annie Slater, which went on station on Friday 5 April.

Ends

Notes to editor
Photographs will be available for photo/news desks following the launch.

RNLI media contacts
For more information please telephone Tommy Dover Wicklow RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on Tel: 0872509407 or [email protected] or Niamh Stephenson, RNLI Ireland Media Manager on 087 1254 124 or [email protected]

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The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.

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