Skerries RNLI volunteers respond to three incidents in less than 24 hours
- Pat Nolan
- 21 hours ago
- 2 min read
Monday 7 September 2026
Skerries RNLI volunteers had a busy weekend after Dublin Coast Guard tasked the station’s Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat to three separate incidents in less than 24 hours.
The first call came shortly after 5.30pm on Saturday, 5 September, when Dublin Coast Guard requested the launch of the lifeboat following reports that a small angling craft with three men on board had suffered engine failure between Lambay Island and Rush.
As the Skerries crew made their way towards the casualty vessel, they received an update from the Coast Guard advising that another angling boat had taken the stricken craft under tow and was returning it to the slipway at Rogerstown.
With the three men safely being assisted ashore, the lifeboat was stood down and returned to its station in Skerries.
The volunteers were called into action again shortly before 8.30pm that evening, following a report to Dublin Coast Guard of a person in distress in the water at South Strand in Skerries.
The lifeboat was launched and was making its way around the headland at Red Island when the crew received an update that a member of the public had assisted the person to shore, where they were receiving care from emergency services.
The lifeboat returned to Skerries RNLI station, where it was washed down and made ready for any further emergency call.
There was a further call shortly after 9.30am on Sunday, 6 September, when the volunteer crew’s pagers sounded following a 999 call to Dublin Coast Guard reporting that a swimmer was overdue returning to shore from the local swimming platform known as The Springers.
The lifeboat crew arrived on scene shortly afterwards and received an update from the Coast Guard confirming that the man had been located safe and well ashore.
Speaking following the three call outs, Skerries RNLI volunteer lifeboat press officer Gerry Canning said the weekend had demonstrated the unpredictable nature of the work carried out by the volunteer crew.
“It’s been a busy couple of days for our volunteers, and it shows that they never know what they might be responding to when the pagers go off,” he said.
“Thankfully all the call outs this weekend ended with a positive outcome.
“We’d like to remind people that if you see someone in trouble on or near the water, dial 999 and ask for the Coast Guard.”
