Tag Archives: Killaloe Coast Guard

KILLALOE Coast Guard has appealed to jet ski operators to operate in the open waters of Lough Derg away from restricted zones near the historic bridge. Deputy officer in charge, Damien Madden made the plea after the coast guard unit was tasked twice over the May Bank Holiday weekend to assist Gardai who were having difficulty getting operators to move from particular areas. Mr Madden recalled a number of jet skis were driving at full speed between Ballina slipway and Killaloe Bridge in a five knott speed zone on Saturday, May 30. He said this was dangerous because a number of people were swimming off the pontoon at the back of Tuscany, in spite of no swimming signs, and had to be asked by local gardai to desist. In addition to the noise, he said a jet ski can create a backwash that creates a problem for a person having refreshments on any vessel that is mooring near the bridge. …

A surfer who dislocated his knee when he lost his footing on a slippery pathway is recovering from his injury at University Hospital Limerick. The incident in Lahinch occurred late Thursday evening when the Doolin Coast Guard team was tasked by MRSC, Valentia. The surfer was returning to shore when he lost his footing on a pathway and dislocated his knee. The team assembled and set up the climbing equipment. The HSE Ambulance Service was also tasked and arrived on scene a short time later. Two climbers descended with a stretcher and the injured surfer was treated for pain and shock and his leg was splinted. He was then hauled to the top and taken to the waiting ambulance. Meanwhile, the Irish Coast Guard Unit at Killaloe were involved in separate emergency incident the previous night when a woman in her 60’s, who had been walking in the Silvermines Hills in Tipperary with her husband, lost her way. The pair …

A woman who fell into the water near Harbour Village in Killaloe was rescued and taken by ambulance for observation to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Limerick on Thursday night. Killaloe Coast Guard Unit (KCG) was contacted by a concerned member of the public who heard a call for help close to its base at Pier Head. The team were paged by Valentia Coast Guard at 8.30 pm and within minutes there was a boat and land crew departing base and searching the Clare shore. The Shannon-based Coast Guard Search and Rescue helicopter and a HSE ambulance were also requested to provide their assistance. Five minutes after departing base, the KCG land team located a cruiser tied up in Harbour Village with two people on board and were informed a female crew member had slipped from the jetty and entered the water behind the cruiser. The woman was calling for help as she had no life jacket and was unable to swim. Her husband and two members of …

THE Killaloe Coast Guard Unit has launched an appeal for new volunteers to fill some vacancies in its unit. With 16 male and three female members in the current search and rescue service, the unit is seeking to recruit at least three new members, as a few other volunteers may leave over the coming months, due to work commitments. Led by officer in charge (OIC), Joe Doolan, the unit is Government-funded and doesn’t have to fundraise, unlike its predecessor, the Killaloe Ballina Search and Rescue Service. Acknowledging that training and call-outs were “time-consuming”, deputy OIC, Damien Madden insists it is also “very rewarding” for members who are involved in rescuing people from the lake or aftermishaps on land. “It is a great service for the community. Anyone who is using Lough Derg and gets into trouble, knows we are there at the end of a call by contacting 999 or 112. Once we are called out, we are normally in …