Valentia has saved 109 lives in 2017

JOHN Draper of Kerry-based Valentia Coast Guard has told The Kerryman that the number of incidents in the Valentia Division dropped by 10 per cent in 2017 – an improvement he credits largely to the public taking account of water safety messages, and poor summertime weather.

The centre has saved well over 100 lives this year, helping almost 1,500 people across more than 800 incidents. Of these, just over 100 incidents were in Kerry.

Mr Draper explained that his Coast Guard covers an area from Clifden, County Galway, to Youghal in east Cork, and 200 miles west into the Atlantic. It also covers a number of inland waterways – including Killarney lakes – and supported the HSE, Kerry Mountain Rescue and Gardaí on dozens of occasions this year.

Mr Draper thanked all Coast Guard staff and volunteers for their work in what has been a trying year for the Coast Guard nationally.

“2017 has been a year which has brought great tragedy to the Coast Guard with the loss of the crew of R116 – pilots Dara Fitzpatrick and Mark Duffy were recovered shortly after the incident, and to date both winch Crew Paul Ormsby and Ciaran Smith are still missing,” he said.

“I’d like to pay tribute to the watch officers based at the centre in Valentia who coordinate with the Coast Guard resources and other agencies. I would also like to express my gratitude to the RNLI, Community Rescue Boats, Gardaí, Mountain Rescue teams, the National Ambulance service, Fire Brigade and Civil Defence; it is encouraging to see how all the agencies work so well together with a common goal.”

Mr Draper paid credit also to all volunteers who assisted over the course of the year.

Other statistics from the year showed that Valentia co-ordinated more than 220 R115 Shannon Coast Guard helicopter missions, and the Kerry centre also co-ordinated almost 30 incidents in the UK search and rescue area.

Mr Draper added that water safety promotion and patrol efforts will continue into the new year, reiterating that people should call 112 or 999 if they ever feel they’re in trouble. He also encouraged anyone taking to the sea to log a traffic report to the Coast Guard beforehand.