Tag Archives: irish coast guard

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 …

THE national Coast Guard has been called upon by an independent senator to explain why it sacked ten people who remained in the Doolin Coast Guard Unit. Speaking at a meeting organised by the Irish Coast Guard Volunteer Representative Association (ICGVRA) in the Bellbridge Hotel on Saturday, Senator Gerard Craughwell said the rationale will either stand or fall based on the Coast Guard’s explanation. He said the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport could investigate why private and confidential information provided by Doolin members during previous meetings with outside consultants was given to independent mediator, Kieran Mulvey. The senator advised members to apply on an individual basis to the Information Commissioner asking how this information was passed on and if there was a breach of GDPR. “If there has been a breach of GDPR, then everything that stems from this breach is no longer valid. The GDPR issue is one that only the Information Commissioner can answer. There are questions that …

AN TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar didn’t float or sink a call for the commissioning of an independent inquiry into the management of the Irish Coast Guard when questioned by a local Dáil deputy. Speaking in the Dáil recently, Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne outlined Coast Guard volunteers selflessly give their time for others as part of Ireland’s fourth blue light emergency response. “In coastal communities throughout Ireland, and in Clare, their role cannot be understated. The Irish Coast Guard Volunteers Representative Association is an organisation with which this House is now very familiar. “Members of its national executive appeared before the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications. “Its mission is very simple. It has two asks: a truly independent inquiry into the management of the Irish Coast Guard chaired by a retired High Court judge and the appointment of a permanent director of the Irish Coast Guard. “Will the Government heed its calls and engage with it properly and meaningfully, as promised, to …

With the current icy weather warnings in place throughout the country, the Coast Guard, RNLI and Water Safety Ireland have issued a joint water safety appeal urging people to be aware of the added danger at our aquatic environments and of additional safety considerations when on or near the water. Due to the freezing temperatures, many inland bodies of water have frozen over at canals, lakes, ponds and flooded areas. As the thickness of this ice can vary greatly the strong advice is to stay off the ice. Be extra vigilant while walking beside bodies of water as walkways and paths can become extremely slippery and unsafe when icy. Keep pets and young children away from the edges. Many people are expected to take part in festive dips. The three maritime organisations are asking people to check that they have the right information to safely enjoy these activities and that they know what to do in the event of an …

TWO surfers had to be rescued after they got into difficulty off the Clare coast on Saturday evening. The alarm was raised at around 6.30pm when the Irish Coast Guard received an initial report that a person had been cut off by the tide and was trapped on a rock. The location was given as off Doughmore Beach close to the Trump International hotel in Doonbeg. Watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard’s marine rescue sub centre on Valentia Island in Kerry mounted a search and rescue operation. However, further information became available it was confirmed that two surfers had been caught in a riptide and pulled out to sea. The Kilkee and Doolin units of the Irish Coast Guard, National Ambulance Service and Gardaí were alerted and dispatched resources to the scene. The Shannon based Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 115 was also tasked to the incident. As emergency were being mobilised, the Coast Guard broadcast a Pan-pan radio message …

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 …

  A young Clare surfer has died following what has been described as a “tragic accident” in the sea off the West Clare coast. The surfer, who was accompanied by three friends, some of whom are also believed to be part of the local surfing community, went surfing in Lough Donnell beach off the coast between Doonbeg and Quilty between 6.30am and 7am on Monday, July 5. It is understood that the surfer got into some difficulty while he was in the water, his friends administered CPR and called the emergency services around 8am. The emergency services arrived and he was airlifted by the Shannon-based Coast Guard helicopter R115 for emergency medical treatment to University Hospital Limerick (UHL). He was pronounced dead on Monday afternoon. It is expected a post-mortem will be held in the coming days and a file will then be prepared for the county coroner, Isobel O’Dea.  Clare Gardaí has described the incident as a “tragic accident”. According to …

There is major concern for the welfare of a local surfer, who has been airlifted for emergency medical treatment to University Hospital Limerick (UHL). The Shannon-based Coast Guard helicopter R115 this morning transferred a man to University Hospital Limerick. According to a press statement issued by the Irish Coast Guard, the casualty got into difficulty while surfing in Lough Donnell, Quilty, CPR was administered to the casualty on scene and on route to hospital. The man is understood to have been a well known local lifeguard. It is believed that members of his family have been contacted to come to the UHL.