Early New Year’s Callout For Arklow Lifeboat

There was no time to rest for the volunteer crew of the Arklow Lifeboat after it was called out to reports of a casualty having entered the water just after midnight on New Year’s Day.

As the last of the “Auld Lang Synes” and Happy New Year’s toasts were wrapping up, the volunteers were alerted by pager.

Following the alert the lifeboat Ger Tigchelaar was launched, immediately commencing a search of the river area.

In what became a multi-agency search, the shore-based volunteers, along with local Gardai, also commenced a search of the harbour area and the local beaches.

The local Irish Coast Guard Units were also deployed.
The lifeboat continued the intensive search at sea and the land search teams continued the search for several hours.

News reached the search teams that the casualty had been located safely ashore. The search was stopped, and all volunteers returned safely to the base.

Following the callout, Mark Corcoran, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer said:

“Huge thanks to all of our volunteers who left their friends and families during New Year celebrations to go out in what was a very unpleasant wintry night of cold, windy driving rain to search at sea and on land following the report of someone entering the water, we have one amazing selfless crew, thanks to everybody who responded to this callout our first and possibly RNLI’s first in Ireland of 2025, wishing all of our team, supporters, colleagues and friends a very happy, safe & peaceful 2025.”