Coast Guard boats to be returned when new life-jackets in place

COAST Guard boats are being re-commissioned across the country, with Greystones expecting to be among the last.

Coast guard boats, including those in Greystones, were suspended on November 15 last.

Dermot McCauley of Greystones Coast Guard said this week that stations in more remote areas and without proximity to RNLI bases will be prioritised.

‘Life jackets aboard the crafts had been independently tested and came out 100 per cent okay,’ said Dermot. ‘However, in training at least two failed and turned someone on their side which can be dangerous. There was no choice but to withdraw the boats and rely heavily on the RNLI.’ Dermot said that this also put the

RNLI under pressure as they couldn’t take boats out for servicing.

He said that a new type of Crewsaver life-jacket has been source, with around 100 acquired in the country so far. They are being given out to stations, with priority given to those without the RNLI in the vicinity.

Greystones has both Dun Laoghaire and Wicklow RNLI nearby so they expect to be included towards the end of the roll-out.

Each crew member will need two hours training on the use of the jackets, which will take time to arrange for all units.

There are 16 crew members in the Greystones station. Dermot said that they hope to be back on the water in January.

He said that headquarters had been very prompt in trying to solve the problem. ‘We are still on call for cliff rescue and search operations,’ he said.