Sligo Bay RNLI Launches to Reported Person in Water Before Incident Confirmed as Hoax

Saturday 11 July 2026

Sligo Bay RNLI volunteers launched their all-weather lifeboat on Wednesday night (8 July) following reports of a person in the Garavogue River, before the incident was later confirmed to be a hoax.

Lifeboat returning to station. Photo Credit: RNLI/Sligo Bay

The volunteer crew were requested to launch by the Irish Coast Guard at 9.51pm after a report was received that a person was in the water. The lifeboat launched promptly and made its way to Sligo Town, arriving at 10.10pm.

As the reported location of the incident was further upstream and inaccessible to the lifeboat, the crew were tasked with standing by at the quays downstream while a coordinated multi-agency search was carried out.

The extensive search involved Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 118, based in Sligo, alongside An Garda Síochána, the Fire Service and Sligo Bay RNLI.

Following a thorough search of the area, the operation was stood down after the report was confirmed to have been a hoax.

Speaking after the incident, Sligo Bay RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer Aisling Gillen reiterated the importance of the public reporting genuine concerns.

"We always encourage people to call 999 or 112 if they think that someone is in difficulty in the water and we are always happy to respond and find that all is well and be stood down rather than not launch at all or arrive too late."

"However, we would appeal to people to not make hoax calls as they could hinder another emergency response to a person who is in genuine difficulty. Responding to a hoax call also requires the same substantial resource in terms of personnel and equipment as a real emergency does so we would ask people to please not do this."

The RNLI continues to encourage members of the public to dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard if they believe someone is in difficulty on or near the water, while reminding the public that deliberately making false emergency reports places unnecessary demands on rescue services and has the potential to delay responses to genuine emergencies.