Coast Guard concerns after miracle rescue

A review is underway to assess the Irish Coast Guard’s operation in the heroic rescue of two young women in Galway Bay two weeks ago – with questions remaining over how the pair were missed by aircraft searching the area on the night of their disappearance.

Speaking to the Galway City Tribune, a retired Coast Guard member said it was important that lessons were learned from the search and rescue operation on the Bay in the early hours of August 13 – with the local knowledge and gut instinct of fishermen winning out over technology in ensuring the safe return of Sara Feeney and Ellen Glynn.

While the former Coast Guard operator said it wasn’t a case of criticising the efforts of the committed individuals operating the search, it was important that there was a period of reflection and a consideration of what might be done differently if there was to be a similar search again.

“The elephant in the room, and the question being asked by a lot of seamen is how the Olivers [the fishermen who rescued the two young women] knew to go in that particular direction and found them – and why didn’t the rescue agencies say ‘let’s do that’ earlier,” said the experienced Coast Guard operative.

“It has to be examined if their searching procedures are a little bit too rigid. The software that’s being used is said to be brilliant, but it’s American software so do we need it updated, taking into account the Irish weather and sea conditions?”

After 15 hours in the water, every minute mattered, this person said, and while the Coast Guard might have eventually reached the young women where they were found by the Olivers – clinging to a lobster pot near Inis Oírr – it was healthy and necessary to question why they weren’t found sooner.

The Coast Guard helicopters were fitted with infrared cameras used to find people in the water by picking up body heat, and they made use of high-tech equipment to navigate the search area, but the women had reported the helicopters flying overhead and missing them.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

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