Tag Archives: search and rescue.

In advance of the May bank holiday weekend the Irish Coast Guard and RNLI are appealing to the public not to take part in any water-based activity on or in the sea, while the Covid-19 restrictions are in place. Both organisations are concerned that as the restrictions continue, people may become complacent and be tempted to take to the water or proceed to coastal areas for recreation. However, it is crucial to continue to minimise the risk to Search and Rescue, volunteer crews, helicopter crew and other front-line emergency services, from being unintentionally exposed to Covid-19. RNLI and Coast Guard Search and Rescue services continue to be fully operational and on call 24/7. As the current COVID-19 restrictions continue to apply it is appreciated that people will want to get out for a break and take to the water if they are living or exercising near the coast or inland waters. However, both organisations are urging everyone to follow Government …

NORTH and West Clare is united in grief today following the tragic death of Caitriona Lucas, who died during a search and recovery operation in Kilkee on Monday. Originally from Ballyvaughan, the mother of two, whose husband Bernard is also a rescue service volunteer, died when the Kilkee Coastguard Unit rib boat capsized during the search for missing Lissycasey man David McMahon. Amongst those paying tribute to the late Caitriona Lucas, a Clare County Council employee, was An Taoiseach Enda Kenny. Another coastguard volunteer, Jenny Carway, was injured and removed by helicopter while James Lucey was trapped in a cave for four to five hours before he was rescued. Speaking to The Clare Champion two years ago this month, Jenny Carway, who is originally from Somalia, poignantly outlined the challenges involved. “You have your good times and your bad times but you’re here to provide a service and, hopefully, we have provided a good service here. Not always in the …

A body has been recovered from the water in Bunratty on the third day of searches for a local man missing in the area. This morning, during the course of a search operation, the body of a man was recovered near Quay Island shortly after 11am this morning. The man was pronounced dead at the scene by a doctor and is being removed to University Hospital Limerick for a post-mortem examination later this afternoon. Gardaí say efforts are now being made to formally identify the man and that his death is being treated as a tragic accident. A large-scale search operation was launched in Bunratty on Saturday evening after concerns were raised for the well-being of a man, originally from Bunratty but living in nearby Sixmilebridge. Hundreds of people were involved in searches of the area over the past number of days including Gardaí, Bunratty Search and Rescue, the Doolin and Kilkee units of the Irish Coastguard, Clare Civil Defence …

Gardaí have issued an appeal for information on the movements of two Japanese tourists, for whom a land and sea search in ongoing in Kilkee. Eiji Takagi (63) and Ushio Azaki (61) checked out of their hotel in Spanish Point on Saturday morning and have not been seen since. The alarm was raised on Tuesday after their red Hyundai hired car was spotted in Kilkee, still in the same place where it had been parked a couple of days earlier. Concerns were heightened when it was established that they did not turn up for a flight from Shannon on Monday. A search was initiated along the northern section of Kilkee Bay on Tuesday evening but discontinued as darkness fell. The search resumed on Wednesday but was hampered by rough seas in the morning. The search resumed yet again in the afternoon and was called off when light faded. It is understood that the search on the shore and in the …

A land and sea search, involving a number of rescue and emergency services, is underway in Kilkee, following reports that two Japanese tourists are missing in the area.  Their hired car was parked in the West Clare resort for a number of  days . The man  and his wife, believed to be in their sixties, were  reported missing when they failed to turn up for a departure flight to another country. The search operation was initiated about 5pm on Tuesday evening, involving a number of Coast Guard units and the Shannon-based rescue helicopter, and it was resumed at first light today (Wednesday).

JENNY Carway has served as a marine rescue volunteer in Kilkee for 18 years. Living on the Carrigaholt side of Kilkee, she is the longest-serving member of the Irish Coastguard Unit but that’s not all what that distinguishes Jenny from her colleagues. Her accent is somewhat Irish but not completely. A simple question resulted in an intriguing response. “I’m a blow-in. I’m originally from Somalia,” Jenny replied. Her background is fascinating. “My grandparents were Irish. We lived in Uganda through Idi Amin’s time and we had to leave. My brothers were in boarding school in Ireland and my parents decided to give Ireland a go so we came here. We lived in Limerick and I’d come to Kilkee as a kid for summer holidays. So I just came down here and stayed here since. I came here diving. I enjoy it. It’s a great place to live,” she surmised. Jenny left Africa when she was 11. She has yet to …

A family was found in Cratloe Woods after a two-hour search involving search and rescue services last night. The Killaloe Coastguard Unit was tasked by Valentia Coastguard to respond to an emergency 999 call at 9.50 pm on Monday night from a family who had become lost disorientated in the popular South-East Clare recreational area. Within ten minutes of the pagers being activated, Killaloe Coastguard had two land search teams on route to Cratloe Woods. The Irish Coastguard Rescue Helicopter from Shannon Airport was also tasked to provide assistance in the search. The two Killaloe Coastguard search teams had started searching by 10.30 pm and R115 was conducting a extensive search from air. After one hour of searching, the R115 and the two Killaloe Coastguard search teams had noting to report so the officer in charge requested more Coastguard units from Doolin and Kilkee to assist in the search operation. Cratloe Woods is a very popular area for tourists and walkers, while …