Coast Guard boat remains grounded

BOATS WITHDRAWN TWO WEEK’S AGO

COAST GUARD boats, including one in Greystones, remain grounded while the malfunction of Rescue 400 Life Jackets is investigated.

The boats were withdrawn on Friday, November 15, at 23 locations around the coast following the reported malfunction. A risk assessment of the equipment determined that use of Rescue 400 life jackets was to be suspended with immediate effect.

This, in turn, means that all Coast Guard boat operations were also suspended with immediate effect. This includes all training and operations on Coast Guard boats.

‘All shoreline and cliff rescue services provided by the Coast Guard units remain in place, along with the four search and rescue Coast Guard helicopters,’ said a spokesman for the Department of Transport, who confirmed that Greystones is among those units whose boats have been grounded.

‘ The RNLI’s nationwide fleet of in-shore and off-shore boats, state services such as the Irish navy and civil defence, and community volunteer boats continue to service the affected areas,’ they said. ‘ The Irish Coast Guard continues to treat this issue as a matter of urgency and is liaising closely with all key stakeholders and search and rescue providers.’

In a letter to all stations the Coast Guard said that possible resolutions are being ‘actively pursued’ in order to re-commence boat operations as quickly as possible.

Concerns were raised about safety equipment soon after the death of Irish Coast Guard volunteer Caitriona Lucas off the County Clare coast in September 2016, when key safety equipment used at separate stations failed tests.