THE Dun Laoghaire RNLI lifeboat was launched 48 times and assisted 50 people last year, latest figures have revealed.
The Southside station’s activities were revealed as part of the RNLI’s launch and rescue statistics for 2015.
They show that Howth lifeboat station was the busiest on the coast with 60 launches and 58 people assisted while the next busiest was Clifden RNLI in Galway, which launched 49 times and brought 20 people to safety.
The RNLI has urged people to respect the water after another busy year for lrish lifeboats that responded to 1,098 incidents and brought 1,244 people to safety in 2015.
The charity’s volunteer lifeboat crew were on call in all weathers at 45 lifeboat stations around the Irish coast and on inland waters.
Of the recorded launches, 416 were carried out in the hours of darkness.
The charity’s lifeboat crews responded to a wide variety of incidents that ranged from danger of drowning (66 launches) to searches for missing people (54 launches), grounded or stranded vessels (126 launches) or people thought to be in danger or overdue (118 launches).
Machinery failure and fouled propellers (251 launches) were a common cause for callout.
There were also a number of callouts to four-legged casualties in 2015.
Ten lifeboat stations launched to incidents involving animals and mammals last year, including a dolphin in Ballycotton, a horse swept into the river at Lough Derg, eight cows that became stranded and ended up in the sea off Kinsale and seven dogs around the coast that were reunited with their grateful owners.
Many of these callouts posed a threat to people as they attempted to enter the water to save an animal and in turn got into difficulty.
Gareth Morrison, RNLI Lifesaving Delivery Manager, said: “Last summer the RNLI launched its national drowning prevention campaign, Respect the Water, warning people that the coastlines and waters can be dangerously unpredictable.
“This year we will continue to build on that and help inform those who enjoy the water and our beautiful coastline to take care and help reduce drowning.”
“In 2015 we had the honour of bringing the first Shannon class lifeboat home to Ireland. It was the first all-weather lifeboat class to be named in recognition of the contribution of the RNLI’s Irish volunteers, who have been saving lives in Ireland since 1826.”
Mr Morrison added: “Irish volunteer lifeboat crew, our fundraisers and our supporters have again worked exceptionally hard serving our local communities. We would like to thank all of our volunteers for their hard work and dedication over the last 12 months. Without them our lifesaving service would not exist.”
Leesa Harwood, RNLI Community Lifesaving and Fundraising Director, added: “It’s humbling to see the lifesaving work of our volunteer crew and safety advisers. Out of the 9,763 rescued in Ireland and the UK, 442 people are alive today because of their actions. The RNLI as a whole owes it to them to act with integrity and tenacity.
“I’m appealing to all our dedicated supporters to help us by ticking our opt-in box over the next few months, to hear about our rescues, our safety advice, and our events to help us save the lives of hundreds more in the years to come.”