RNLI lifeboats brought 1,041 people to safety in 2012 during 939
launches throughout the year. The number of launches was down
slightly on the previous year, while the number of people
rescued was up. Just over half of the lifeboat launches in 2012
were to assist power, sail and pleasure craft, while 14% were to
commercial fishing boats and other commercial vessels. Lifeboats
launched 73 times to stranded or grounded vessels and also dealt
with 122 callouts to people who were ashore but needed help.
These included people taken ill or injured on islands, cliffs or
shorelines, or medical evacuations, which is a regular
occurrence for the lifeboats at Arranmore Island in Co Donegal
and the Aran Islands in Co Galway. The busiest lifeboat in the
Republic was Dún Laoghaire, which launched 46 times and rescued
71 people. Crosshaven, Baltimore and Howth lifeboats all
launched at least 40 times. The RNLI provides search and rescue
service from the coast to 100 nautical miles off shore, 24 hours
a day, seven days a wee