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Tag Archives: Caitriona Lucas

Widower Unhappy With Inquest Misadventure Verdict

A verdict of misadventure at the end of an inquest into the death of a North Clare Coast Guard volunteer has left her widower dissatisfied. A jury of four men and three women also issued seven recommendations concerning safety management, training and equipment used by the Irish Coast Guard before Limerick coroner John McNamara at Kilmallock Court recently. Experienced Doolin Coast Guard member, Caitríona Lucas was the first Coast Guard volunteer to lose her life following a search and rescue operation off Kilkee Bay on September 12, 2016. Her husband, Bernard Lucas confirmed he is not happy with the official inquest verdict. In his summing up for the jury, the coroner said unfortunately, I can’t give you the option of “unlawful killing”. Mr Lucas believes the final verdict should have been “unlawful killing” and felt this option should have been available for the jury as submitted by his representative Mr Kingston. Marine expert Michael Kingston, representing the Lucas family, had …

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‘Critical lessons’ must be learned from death of Caitriona Lucas

The family of the late Caitriona Lucas say that “critical lessons” must be learned from the North Clare woman’s death while on duty with the coastguard in 2016. A jury of four men and three women returned a verdict of death by misadventure yesterday evening, Thursday, following a four day sitting of the coroners court in Limerick. In a statement read after the verdict, the Lucas family was critical of the Irish Coastguard, saying that its failures to have proper safety systems in place caused the death of Caitriona Lucas. The family also highlighted the failure of the authorities to act on a 2012 report, which called for a senior safety systems manager to be installed in the Irish Coast Guard. In their statement they also said that the minister in charge of the Department of Transport in 2012 “should be held to account”. When delivering their verdict, the jurors said that a number of recommendations to enhance safety should …

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Heart-breaking evidence on day one of Caitríona Lucas inquest

Harrowing evidence of the final moments of North Clare woman and Irish Coast Guard volunteer, Caitríona Lucas, who died while assisting in a search and rescue operation off the west coast, seven years ago, was given by her crew mates at the start of her inquest today. It was accepted that Ms Lucas, of the Doolin unit of the Irish Coast Guard, was assisting members of Kilkee Coast Guard unit because they were short of volunteers. She was the first Coast Guard member to die on active duty. The 41-year old librarian and mother-of-two might have had survived had she still been wearing her safety helmet that had earlier been ripped off her by a wave, when she was struck by the Kilkee RIB and smashed against rocks off Kilkee Bay, it was heard. Ms Lucas, along with Kilkee coast guard volunteers Jenny Carway and James Lucey were searching the sea beneath the cliffs at an area near the “pollock …

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Welcome for decision to finally hold Caitriona Lucas inquest

THE Irish Coast Guard Volunteer Representative Association (ICGVRA) has welcomed the decision to hold a coroner’s inquest into the death of Irish Coastguard volunteer and mother-of-two Caitriona Lucas (41) – more than six and a half years after her death. The Limerick Coroner’s Office has confirmed this inquest will take place at Kilmallock Courthouse in County Limerick on April 12 after Ms Lucas lost her life during an Irish coastguard search operation at Kilkee in west Clare on September 12th 2016. ICGVRA chairman, John O’Mahony said the association are in close contact with her husband, Bernard Lucas and its considers it is about time this inquest was held. Mr O’Mahony said he received an email from the Limerick coroner on Friday last and sent it to Mr Lucas. The group chairman said the association hopes to engage with the coroner’s office and plan to send them their issues with the MCIB report into Caitríona’s death and a list of those …

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HSA asked to probe claim late Caitriona’s lifejacket was faulty

AN INDEPENDENT Senator has written to the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) requesting a full investigation into claims that a life jacket used by a Doolin Coast Guard volunteer may have been faulty before she tragically lost her life six years ago. Mother-of-two Caitríona Lucas (41) had offered to help out the neighbouring Coast Guard unit from Kilkee in the search for a missing man, but she died after its rigid inflatable boat (RIB) capsized in a shallow surf zone on September 12, 2016. Two other crew members on board the RIB, who were also thrown into the sea, survived. Speaking to the Clare Champion, Senator Gerard Craughwell confirmed he has written a letter to the HSA to advise them life jackets provided to Coast Guard volunteers in late 2014 and early 2015 were tested in a number of stations around the country, which allegedly failed in all tests. He has also asked the Comptroller and Auditor General to examine …

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Documentary celebrates life of late Coast Guard volunteer

A SPECIAL documentary programme will be aired next Monday, September 12, remembering a much missed hero of Clare. The programme celebrating the life of Catriona Lucas, comes on the sixth anniversary of her death while performing her duties as a member of the Coast Guard. On September 12, 2016, the tragic news broke that a rigid inflatable boat had capsized near cliffs in a heavy Atlantic swell in Kilkee. As details of the incident became clearer, it emerged that the rib was an Irish Coast Guard search and rescue boat. The three Irish Coast Guard volunteers on board were thrown from the vessel into the sea. Two Kilkee-based members of the volunteer service were subsequently rescued during a major multi-agency operation however, news of the third person, Caitriona, from Liscannor, an experienced volunteer with the Coast Guard unit based in Doolin, was not so good. Caitriona was recovered unconscious from the water and airlifted to hospital as attempts were continued …

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Lack of inquest into Clare woman’s 2016 death is ‘shocking’

THE failure to conduct an inquest into the tragic death of a Doolin volunteer at sea is a breach of her constitutional rights, an international maritime lawyer has claimed. Mother-of-two Caitriona Lucas (41), an advanced coxswain with Doolin Coast Guard died off Kilkee on September 12, 2016. Ms Lucas was helping the neighbouring Coast Guard unit from Kilkee in the search for a missing man, but she died after its rigid inflatable boat (RIB) capsized in a shallow surf zone. Two other crew members on board the RIB, who were also thrown into the sea, survived. Michael Kingston has questioned why an inquest has yet to be held into the death of Caitriona Lucas, the first Irish Coast Guard volunteer to lose their life during active service. “It is shocking and totally unacceptable that almost six years after Ms Lucas’s death, no inquest has as yet been heard. “This is a breach of Caitriona Lucas’ human rights and the rights …

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Coast guard association is launched in Kilkee

THE Irish Coast Guard Volunteers Representative Association (“ICGVRA”), consisting of existing and former IRCG volunteers, was launched in Kilkee recently following a moving commemoration for Caitríona Lucas who lost her life on September 12, 2016. During the ceremony Emma Lucas, daughter of Caitriona Lucas, placed a wreath for her mother, together with John O Mahony, Chairman ICGVRA, on the cliff top beside where she died when Kilkee’s Irish Coast Guard Delta Rib capsized. Many Irish Coast Guard volunteers both past and present spoke about the importance of having an independent association to represent their interests. ICGVRA vice-chairperson, Bernard Lucas said volunteers are central to the strength and capability of the Coast Guard Units and their value must be prioritised. “For far too long volunteers have had no voice. The time is now to stand together for the betterment of the Coast Guard as a whole and its volunteers.” The official launch was attended by Clare Oireachtas members Deputy Joe Carey …

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