April 2026

Volunteer crew members on the RNLI station in the Aran Islands are celebrating significant milestones as two of their own continue to progress in their lifesaving roles.

In 2025, RNLI lifeboats across the island of Ireland launched 967 times highlighting the round-the-clock commitment of RNLI crews.

The RNLI lifeboat crew on the Aran Islands carried out a medical evacuation from Inis Oírr following a request from Valentia Coast Guard.

Lough Neagh Rescue were tasked by Belfast Coastguard following a report from a concerned member of the public. The caller had spotted what appeared to be a capsized dinghy approximately 500 metres from the mouth of the Sixmile River in Antrim.

Volunteers from Lough Derg RNLI launched to assist a lone skipper whose 28ft motor cruiser had run aground in hazardous conditions on Lough Derg.

Volunteer lifeboat crew from RNLI Fenit responded to an emergency call after a windsurfer got into difficulty north of Scarggane Bay.

Lough Neagh Rescue was tasked by Belfast Coastguard at 11:01am on Thursday, 9 April, following reports of a person in the water after an inflatable kayak capsized.

A new Atlantic 85 class lifeboat has gone on service at Lough Swilly RNLI in County Donegal. Davdot replaces the Minnie and Ernest George Barry, which has been used to save lives at sea off the Inishowen peninsula since 2007.

Portrush RNLI’s Inshore Lifeboat was requested to launch by the Coastguard to reports of a yacht in difficulty 8 metres off the Skerries, near Portrush Harbour.

On Bank Holiday Monday, Dún Laoghaire volunteer lifeboat crew responded to a tasking by the Coast Guard following reports of a swimmer in difficulty beyond the yellow buoys at Dún Laoghaire's Forty Foot swimming spot.

Valentia Coast Guard requested Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat to launch to assist two people on a 32ft motor cruiser with engine failure at a location north of Illaunmor.

The volunteer crew from Howth RNLI launched their all-weather lifeboat into Storm Dave following a number of 999 calls reporting a kite surfer being blown offshore in strong winds and unable to return safely to shore.

Donaghadee RNLI volunteers were tasked by HM Coastguard to assist a survey vessel in distress that was drifting close to rocks at Crammog Head on the Mull of Galloway.