07/04/2017
A meitheal of the marine
On Saturday the 8th of April the Irish Coast Guard, RNLI, Irish Air Corps, the Irish Naval Service and Civil Defence, boats, aircraft, land search and UAV teams, will be joined by more than 80 civilian vessels to mount one of the largest open water and shoreline searches ever undertaken in the history of the state.
In a combined search effort for the missing Irish Coast Guard Helicopter crewmen, Ciarán Smith and Paul Ormsby, the fleet will conduct an extensive search of the coastline from Co. Mayo to Co. Donegal. The response to the search appeal has been incredibly heart warming.
With so many civilian vessels engaged in search operations safety is the number one consideration. Anyone joining the onwater search should be wearing an appropriate lifejacket, have working VHF communications and distress flares, and have the appropriate training for the vessel they are taking to sea.
The attached map breaks down the search zones, each zone has a responsible coordinator. Vessels are required to check in with the relevant coordinator for their zone before commencing search operations and again when standing down.
SEARCH AREAS
1. Aranmore Area -Surface Search Coordinator is Aranmore Lifeboat. All vessels intending to go to sea in that area should contact Aranmore Lifeboat prior to saturday for Instructions. When searching on Saturday they should report to Aranmore Lifeboat on VHF Ch 06
2. Killybegs Area -Surface Search Coordinator is Killybegs Coast Guard. All vessels intending to go to sea in that area should contact Killybegs Coast Guard prior to Saturday for Instructions. When searching on Saturday they should report to Killybegs Coast Guard on VHF Ch 08
3. Bundoran Area -Surface Search Coordinator is Bundoran Lifeboat. All vessels intending to go to sea in that area should contact Bundoran Lifeboat Station prior to Saturday for Instructions. When searching on Saturday they should report to Bundoran Lifeboat on VHF Ch 72
4. Sligo Bay Area -Surface Search Coordinator is Sligo Bay Lifeboat. All vessels intending to go to sea in that area should contact Sligo Bay Lifeboat Station prior to Saturday for Instructions. When searching on Saturday they should report to Sligo Bay Lifeboat on VHF Ch 06
5. Killala Area -Surface Search Coordinator is Killala Coast Guard. All vessels intending to go to sea in that area should contact Killala Coast Guard prior to Saturday for Instructions. When searching on Saturday they should report to Killala Coast Guard on VHF Ch 08
6. Ballyglass Area -Surface Search Coordinator is Ballyglass Lifeboat. All vessels intending to go to sea in that area should contact Ballyglass Lifeboat prior to Saturday for Instructions. When searching on Saturday they should report to Ballyglass Lifeboat on VHF Ch 72
7. Achill Area -Surface Search Coordinator is Achill Lifeboat. All vessels intending to go to sea in that area should contact Achill Island Lifeboat prior to Saturday for Instructions. When searching on Saturday they should report to Achill Lifeboat on VHF Ch 06
VHF Ch 16 is for safety urgency and distress communications. It will be monitored by Malin Head Coast Guard as normal. Please try avoid using Ch 16 for unnecessary communications, if required contact Malin Head Coast Guard on working channels.
The Marine Institute's Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), Holland 1, has been engaged in underwater search operations. The ROV is being operated from the Commissioners of Irish Lights Vessel, the Granuaile, which returned to Blacksod Bay yesterday.
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