Friday May 28th 2010
Lifeboat Called to Capsized Boat

On Thursday 27th May Bantry Inshore Search & Rescue Association were called to an incident in the Bay. The boat was launched at 15:03 with 4 crew onboard following a call that a boat had capsized and somebody was in the water. The Casualty was quickly located and transported back to the boathouse where paramedics were ...waiting to assess the situation. The Casualty was then transported to Bantry Hospital for observation and tests but was soon released. The capsized dinghy was returned to the Abbey Slip.

Saturday February 20th 2010
Lifeboat Called to Sighting of Flare

At 20:12 on Wednesday 17th February Bantry Inshore Search and Rescue Association responded to a sighting of a red parachute flair north of the Airstrip at Beach, approximately 1 mile west of Bantry Harbour. The boat was launched and searched the area for 1 hour before being stood down by the Irish Coast Guard at 21:20.

The parachute flare is the most powerful distress flare available. Both white and SOLAS red are impossible to miss at their peak altitude of 1,000 feet. The intense brilliance of the SOLAS red achieves 30,000 candela and a burn time of 40 seconds, to alert others of a distress situation day or night. The white illuminating flare is designed for use in crisis situations involving poor visibility or darkness, to avoid collision by alerting oncoming vessels to your boat’s position, and for search and rescue operations. The white paras have a brightness of 75,000 candela, a burn time of 30 seconds, and max height of 300 meters.

Monday September 14th 2009
Lifeboat Called to Canoeist in the Water

Bantry Lifeboat was called out on Thursday 10th September to a casualty in the water off Bantry Golf Club. Valentia paged the crew at 8:15pm and the boat was launched at 8:24pm. The casualty was quickly located and recovered from the water with suspected hypothermia, with assistance being provided by a local fisherman. The casualty was immediately returned to the Lifeboat station where they were taken to Bantry Hospital for further treatment.

Wednesday August 5th 2009
Lifeboat Called to Windsurfer in Trouble

Bantry Inshore Search & Rescue Association were called to a report of a windsurfer in difficulty in the Bay on 4th August last. The alarm was raised by the Coast Guard at 17:43 hours and eleven crew members and Launch Officer arrived at the lifeboat boat station, launching the lifeboat at 17:49 hours. Upon making contact with the windsurfer in question it was apparent that he was not in danger, had righted the surf board and continued surfing. The St. Brendan was then recovered and made ready once again for service.

"Although the lifeboat was not required in this instance the person who raised the alarm is to be commended for alerting the Coastguard as public vigilance is always required to alert the emergency services " said a BISRA spokesman.

Monday May 18th 2009
Lifeboat Called to Boat Adrift

Bantry Inshore Search & Rescue Association were called to an incident in the Bay on 14th May last. The alarm was raised by the Coast Guard at 14:18 hours and seven crew and the Launching Authority mustered at the lifeboat boat station, launching the lifeboat at 14:25 hours. Two young men in a powerboat were recovered from the Bay and returned with their boat to the Abbey Pier in Bantry following engine failure. Members of Bantry Inshore Search and Rescue Association were pleased to announce that there were no casualties as a result of the incident.

Bantry Inshore Search & Rescue Association were tasked to search for a missing person at 03:45 on Saturday 23rd August. The Bantry Lifeboat was launched and a comprehensive parallel search of the inner harbour was conducted in conjunction with the Coast Guard Helicopter, Civil Defence and numerous local vessels. A shore search was undertaken by the Gardai, Local Fire Brigade and Goleen Cliff & Costal Rescue, and a Coast Guard Unit. Weather conditions were good initially but deteriorated to rain and low cloud later in the day. All present for the search operation were delighted to hear that later in the day the individual concerned was located in Tramore, Co. Waterford. Bantry Inshore Search & Rescue Association would like to take this opportunity to thank all those locally that assisted with the search operation especially the vessels that assisted in the sea search in such a professional manner.

Friday July 25th 2008
Lifeboat Called to Capsized Boat in Glengarriff Harbour

The Bantry Lifeboat was called out on Friday July 25th when a small boat capsized in the entrance to Glengarriff Harbour close to Carrigskye. The Lifeboat crew were paged at 20.15 by the Coast Guard and the "St. Brendan" was launched at 20.25 with three crew on board.

A casualty was rescued from the water at 20.38 and brought back to Bantry where an ambulance was waiting to transfer him to Bantry hospital for assessment. The capsized boat was safely recovered from the water by the crew of the Lifeboat crew, who then returned to the boathouse at the Railway Pier and stood down at 22.00 after preparing the "St. Brendan" for its next launch.

A spokesman for Bantry Inshore Search & Rescue Association praised the prompt and professional response of the crew who helped save another life in the waters around the West Cork coastline at this busy time of year and commented that "Even at this time of year a person can suffer from life-threatening hypothermia in addition to the obvious risk of drowning, if appropriate help does not arrive quickly."

If you see people in difficulty on the water you should dial 999 or 112 from a mobile phone and ask for the Coast Guard who will be able to initiate the fastest and most appropriate response to the situation.

The Bantry Lifeboat was launched yesterday in response to an emergency on Whiddy Island. Responding to a request from the Irish Coastguard at 11.35 am on Thursday, the "St. Brendan" transferred a doctor to the island to attend a casualty who had been injured. The casualty was later transferred to Bantry Hospital.

"Facilitating this kind of response is an important part of the remit of BISRA, and the speed of the lifeboat's response which resulted in a doctor arriving on Whiddy Island within 10 minutes of the request being received at the boathouse is a further demonstration of the dedication and professionalism of the Bantry lifeboat crews" said a BISRA spokesman.

No further assistance being required, the "St. Brendan" stood down at approximately mid-day.