Written Answers. - Air-Sea Rescue Services.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
29
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for the Marine
the total number of (a) ocean going vessels (b) aeroplanes and (c) helicopters available for air/sea rescue services on (1) the east coast (2) the south coast and (3) the west coast; if he will outline the call out time in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
In relation to (a) the only declared search and rescue ocean going vessels are the RNLI vessels. The policy of the institution is to maintain a fleet of offshore lifeboats around the coast of Ireland, the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. Except in certain remote locations RNLI vessels can reach a casualty up to 40 miles offshore within four hours of launching and remain on scene for at least a further four hours. In addition, a fleet of intermediate and inshore lifeboats is maintained.
All operational lifeboats on station will be in one of four states of readiness:
|
Launched
|
— Actually on service or exercise.
|
|
Immediate
|
— At immediate readiness to Readinesslaunch-proceed with crew on board or in the immediate vicinity of the boat.
|
|
Stand-by
|
— Crew warned of probable search and rescue mission and brought to an agreed notice for launch-proceeding.
|
|
Ready for Service
|
— Normal state. Boat and crew available but no known search and rescue requirement.
|
The declared ocean going all weather lifeboats are stationed as follows: on the east coast, six, on the south coast, five and on the west coast, four.
Also available for response to ocean incidents as additional resources are first, Naval Service Vessels: While the Naval Service have no resources dedicated to search and rescue — their primary roles being defence and sea fisheries protection — any of their seven patrol vessels at sea on fisheries protection duties, will respond to a Mayday broadcast or notification of a vessel in distress in accordance with international law. The location of patrol vessels at the time of an emergency is a factor. Normally the vessel closest to the incident responds. The time taken to reach an incident will vary in each situation. Second, likewise, all other vessels which include merchant vessels, fishing vessels, foreign naval vessels, etc., in the vicinity are obliged to respond to the incident.
In relation to (b) planes — fixed wing resources — a CASA CN 235, the primary role of which is fisheries protection-maritime patrol, is generally available at Baldonnel subject to serviceability at the time, to respond to requests for the search aspects and "Top-Cover" element of search and rescue operations. The crew for this operation are on one hour call at home and would expect to be airborne within two hours call.
In relation to (c) helicopters, since 15 July 1991, the Department of the Marine have employed Irish Helicopters Limited to provide a medium-range search and rescue helicopter service from Shannon. The helicopter, a Sikorsky S6IN with a crew of four, responds to marine emergencies on a 24 hour basis, both on the west coast and nationally, with 15 minutes notice by day and 45 minutes at night to be airborne.
To complement the Shannon based medium range helicopter, the following Air Corps resources are dedicated for search and rescue (SAR) purposes:
East Coast — located at Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel: one Alouette III helicopter and crew of three respond to daylight search and rescue requests in visual meteorological conditions. Their response time is to be airborne in 15 minutes, day only, after receipt of call.
West Coast — located at Finner Camp, Donegal: one SA 365F Dauphin and crew of four on 24-hour call for search and rescue in the north-west area. The response time of this aircraft is 15 minutes from receipt of call by day and 45 minutes by night.
The resources of the Alouette III and the SA 365F Dauphin helicopters are located as indicated but they can also be tasked to any geographic area within normal operating parameters as required, in order to respond to specific requests from MRCC.
