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Busy week at Lough Swilly RNLI with four call outs
Lough Swilly RNLI's lifeboat station has been a hive of activity over the last week with three crew passing out on their training and four call outs for the station’s inshore lifeboat Davdot.
Last Thursday (9 July) last, the volunteers were requested to reports of two kayakers overdue. Malin Head Coast Guard received further information within minutes of the launch request resulting in the assembled crew being stood down, as all was well and good.
A similar situation arose on Sunday (12 July), whereby a jet-ski was reported adrift with no one onboard and Malin Head Coast Guard requested the assistance of Lough Swilly’s inshore lifeboat to investigate. The lifeboat crew were again stood down prior to launch, as another jet-skier in the area dealt with the incident.
On Tuesday (14 July), Sean Ginnelly, the Coastal Lifeboat Trainer and assessor was conducting navigation assessments aboard the Atlantic 85, when the crew were diverted to assist a broken down yacht with two people onboard, who had issued a PAN-PAN request via VHF radio. A PAN-PAN request is an urgent situation that requires assistance, but is not immediately life-threatening.
Due to the location of the vessel approaching a narrow channel with two people onboard, the decision was taken that the safest course of action was to tow the vessel to the nearest safe harbour.
Once the yacht was safely secured the lifeboat, crew and assessor resumed the navigation assessment, resulting in Emmett Johnston achieving his navigation pass-out, with support from Barry Johnson as Helm and Stephen Doherty as crew.
The following day (15 July) the second navigation assessment was underway, when Malin Head Coast Guard requested the lifeboat and crew to investigate reports of swimmers in difficultly at the southern end of Ladies Bay. On arrival on scene there were several groups of people in the water, but no one in difficulty. The crew advised them to move to shallower waters, as the area they were in was prone to tidal currents, especially at low and high water.
The lifeboat and crew resumed the navigation assessment, with Stephen Doherty achieving his navigation pass-out, with support from Barry Johnson as Helm and Sean Coyle as crew. Sean Coyle, had also recently achieved his Tier 2 pass-out on the Station’s all-weather lifeboat.
Joe Joyce, Lough Swilly RNLI Operations Manager said: ‘This week is a good example of why the RNLI always encourage people to call 999 or 112 if they think that someone is in difficulty in the water and we are always happy to respond and find that all is well and be stood down rather than not launch at all or arrive too late.
‘Additionally, for two of the call outs, the RNLI assessor saw the crew in action in a real context, making timely and effective decisions and working as a team, whilst taking all navigation and safety concerns into consideration.’
Amy McCarter-Phillips, Lough Swilly RNLI Lifeboat Training Co-ordinator, commended all involved: 'Our volunteers gain competencies in a structured programme, involving many hours at sea and ashore. I also wish to thank their peers at station who supported and managed the crew members’ progression through the competency activities.’
Ends
RNLI Media Contacts
For further information, please contact:
Bridgita Kelly, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for Lough Swilly RNLI on 087 699 7680, [email protected]
Nuala McAloon, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Ireland, 087 648 3547, [email protected]
Niamh Stephenson, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for Ireland, 087 125 4124, [email protected]
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI is the charity that 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 146,700 lives.
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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
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