R.N.L.I. REPORT - W/E 26TH AUGUST
Paul Stevens - PRO & Crew Member

Major Air Sea Search a Hoax

A full-scale air sea search  took place on Monday night (27th Aug) in Dunmanus Bay as  a result of the setting off of three red distress flares. A member of the public, and two vessels, "The Aubria" and the fishing boat "Ocean Spray" sighted the flares on the north western side of Mount Gabrial  in the south side of  the bay and Valentia Coastguard tasked Castletownbere and Baltimore Lifeboats, Goleen Coastguard, the Coastguard Rescue Helicopter, which were assisted by the navel vessel L.E. Roisin.

Castletownbere lifeboat, under Coxswain, Brian O'Driscoll, and crew Michael Martin-Sullivan, Brendan Gonnolly, Paul Stevens, Adrian Sparrow, Paddy O'Conor, and Martin O'Donoghue, launched at 8.20. pm. The lifeboat arrived on scene and searched the northern and southern sides of Dunmanus Bay while Baltimore Lifeboat and Goleen Coastguard searched the southern shore of the Mizen peninsula.  The Shannon based Coastguard Search and Rescue and the navel vessel L.E. Roisin also assisted in searchung Dunmanus Bay. Once darkness fell, Castletownbere Lifeboat searched the southern shore of Dunmanus Bay using specialised night-vision  equipment  and searchlights but to no avail.

The search was finally suspended just before 10 p.m.  when the person who had fired the flares anonymously phoned Valentia Coastguard and admitted setting them off. All search and rescue services were then stood down. Castletownbere Lifeboat returned to port, refueled and was ready for service again by 11.30 p.m.

A spokesperson at Valentia Coastguard stated that "the observation  of red distress flares must always be investigated and required a full -scale search given the nature of the coastline on both sides of the Mizen peninsula". Mr. Colin Williams,  Inspector of Lifeboats for Ireland, commented, " hoax situations such as this one are a waste of voluntary and state resources and put search and rescue  personnel at risk unnecessarily . In addition, loss of life could occur quite easily  elsewhere  as a result of such actions."

On Alert

The alarm was raised on the following Wednesday, when two men failed to return home at dusk from a fishing trip at. Two men had gone fishing from Dunboy Wood in a small punt and had been spotted fishing around the mouth of the harbour. When however, they did not return at their usual time, the emergency services were contacted. Castletownbere Coastguard  had been training and was despatched to the area. Castletownbere Lifeboat was also tasked at 9.20 p.m. The crew had assembled and were onboard, and just as the lifeboat was about to slip her mooring, the emergency was suspended. Both missing men had thankfully returned home safely.