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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 4 Feb 1969

Vol. 238 No. 2

Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Kerry Coast Life Saving Service.

22.

asked the Minister for Transport and Power why the Waterville unit of the coast life saving service was not called out when the crew of the Sea Flower were in difficulty in Kenmare Bay, County Kerry, particularly as this unit would have got to them in one and a half hours and would with their equipment most likely have succeeded in saving them; and what action he proposes to take now in the matter.

The duty officer of the Marine Research Co-ordination Centre did not call out the Waterville unit of the Coast Life Saving Service because, having regard to all the information about the casualty available to him, he did not consider that the unit could have rendered any assistance.

I am advised that, contrary to the Deputy's information, at least four hours would have elapsed between the alerting of the unit and the actual firing of a rocket at the scene which is about 60 miles by road from Waterville and that the vessel foundered about 1,000 yards offshore from the nearest point from which the appropriate apparatus, a line-carrying rocket, could have been used. As the maximum range of the rocket is only about 500 yards it would not have been possible to get a line aboard the vessel.

Would the Minister hold an inquiry into this? Information available in Kerry suggests that the boat went down inside five hundred yards. I am not sure whether this is correct but this is the information I was given, and that the unit could have got there in an hour and a half. The boat was there for three hours and the unit, the local people believe, would have got those men off. I think an inquiry is necessary because the unit should have been alerted in any case.

We cannot have a speech on this.

We have already had an inquiry by the surveyor, who examined all the circumstances and found that everything possible was done.

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