Marine Institute continues to assist Rescue 116 recovery
Update Monday 10 April 2017
Search for missing crew of Rescue 116
The Air Accident Investigation Unit and An Garda Síochána in conjunction with Coast Guard have expressed their sincere appreciation to the Commissioners of Irish Lights (CIL) and Marine Institute who were supported by GSI (Geological Survey Office), for the extensive search conducted in the vicinity of Black Rock lighthouse following the tragic loss of Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 116 on March 14.
The search operation conducted by the Marine Institute's Holland 1 ROV concluded this afternoon when the Granuaile departed Blacksod Bay.
Supt. Tony Healy confirmed that the Garda water unit would conduct diving searches in the vicinity of Blackrock Light as soon as wind and tidal conditions are considered suitable.
He also confirmed that he had requested Coast Guard and Civil Defence volunteers to continue with targeted searches of coastal areas and monitoring of specific areas of interest.
Gerard O'Flynn from the Coast Guard thanked all the statutory and voluntary organisations for their unstinting support over the past four weeks, paying special thanks to Coast Guard, RNLI and Civil Defence volunteers and Defence Forces assets including naval divers, ships and Air Corps. He added that the operation highlighted the value of inter-agency cooperation in meeting challenges of this type.
The Coast Guard also wishes to remind all mariners to keep a good lookout for any material associated with Rescue 116 and to report any findings to Malin Head Coast Guard Coordination Centre.
AGS, AAIU and IRCG reiterated their sympathy to the families of Dara Fitzpatrick, Mark Duffy, Paul Ormsby and Ciaran Smith and expressed the hope that with the extensive monitoring both at sea and on shore that the remains of Paul and Ciaran would be found.
Ends
Press Office, Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport 01 604 1090 / 01 604 1093 www.dttas.ie pressoffice@dttas.ie
Update - Thursday, 6th April 2017
The Marine Institute's ROV is scanning more of Blackrock seabed in search for the two airmen
The ROV is scanning the seabed off Blackrock island, 13km west of the Co Mayo coast, where the helicopter crashed over 3 weeks ago on March 14th. The weather conditions are favourable at the moment according to Irish Coast Guard operations manager Gerard O'Flynn.
A fleet of fishing vessels from around the coast will converge on Blackrock island on Saturday to sweep the Atlantic seaboard for any signs of the two airmen - Ciarán Smith and Paul Ormsby.
Update - Sunday, 26th March 2017
Marine Institute continues to assist Rescue 116 recovery
Continuing efforts to assist operations in the search and recovery of R116, the Marine Institute's ROV team worked through the night (25-26 March) in challenging sea conditions using specialist cutting equipment to carry out clearing work to allow divers safe access to the search site today. The Marine Institute and Geological Survey's INFOMAR team will carry out further seabed mapping of the site today aboard local vessel, MV Ross Aine.
The Marine Institute is working closely with the Coast Guard, the Air Accident Investigation Unit, Commissioners of Irish Lights, Geological Survey Ireland, P&O Maritime Services, the Navy, An Garda Síochána, and local skippers.
The Marine Institute's ROV Holland 1 remotely operated vehicle was deployed from the Commissioners of Irish Lights vessel, the ILV Granuaile. The ROV has high definition cameras, powerful lighting, robotic arms, and has been fitted with other specialist equipment to assist with the operation. It was fitted with a 'ROV homer' provided by the National Oceanographic Centre Southampton, capable of receiving signals from a black box. During a dive on Wednesday 22nd March, the ROV located rescue helicopter R116 on the sea bed on the Eastern side of Black Rock, at a depth of approx. 40m. The ROV acquired extensive video footage of R116 until poor weather conditions required the ROV to halt operations.
Experienced surveyors from the national seabed mapping programme, INFOMAR – a joint Marine Institute, Geological Survey initiative - continue to assist with the operation. The INFOMAR team identified target points for investigation and created 3D and 2D images of the seabed in the search area to help direct the ROV and assist with planning and safety of diver operations.
The Marine Institute will continue to cooperate with the Air Accident Investigation Unit, the Coast Guard, An Garda Síochána, and local persons and agencies to recover the missing crew members.
Our thoughts are with the family, friends and colleagues of the crew of rescue helicopter R116.
ENDS.
For more information please contact Lisa Fitzpatrick/Sinead Coyne 087 2250871/087 9477090
Wednesday 22 March 2017
AAIU Statement on R116 Investigation
The AAIU in consultation with An Garda Síochána, the Navy, the Coast Guard, the GSI and the Marine Institute wish to advise that following initial Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) operations the wreckage of R116 has been positively located on the sea bed on the Eastern side of Black Rock, at a depth of approx. 40m. Operations are continuing but are weather dependent.
Ends
Press Office, Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport 01 604 1090 / 01 604 1093 www.dttas.ie pressoffice@dttas.ie
15th March 2017 18:42
UPDATE: Marine Institute assisting with search for Coast Guard helicopter
The Marine Institute is providing specialist support to assist in a major sea search off the county Mayo coast approximately six miles west of Blacksod to locate an Irish Coast Guard helicopter believed to have entered the sea at approximately 1am on Tuesday 14th March.
The Dublin based search and rescue helicopter R116 had been providing 'top cover' during a medical evacuation of a crewman from a UK registered fishing vessel approximately 150 miles west of Eagle Island in County Mayo, which was completed by Sligo based Coast Guard helicopter R118.
The search operation is being coordinated by the Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Centre in Malin Head. The RV Celtic Voyager was diverted yesterday from an undergraduate training survey with GMIT, to assist with the search following a request by the Air Accident Investigation Unit of the Department of Transport. Coast Guard search and rescue helicopters, the Air Corps, Navy, RNLI and a number of local fishing vessels are involved in the search operation.
The national research vessel, the Celtic Voyager arrived on the scene at 0600 this morning with a team of very experienced surveyors from the national seabed mapping programme, INFOMAR , and has deployed both a high resolution EM 2040 multi-beam sonar and a digital sonar side scan. These devices are usually used for seabed mapping and fisheries surveys but can also be used to scan the sea floor. The multi-beam has a range of 600m below water and just over 100m either side of the vessel.
The vessel has also deployed two hydrophones – a towed passive acoustic hydrophone and a lowered hydrophone that are capable of detecting noise coming from the seafloor.
A Scout Plus USBL mobile scanner has been deployed from another vessel and is being operated by our technical team.
The Marine Institute’s ocean modelling team has been providing the Coast Guard with predictive models incorporating wind and tides to assist with search areas.
ENDS
t. 087 9477090
t. 087 2250871
15th March 2017 12 noon
Marine Institute assisting with search for Coast Guard helicopter
The Marine Institute is providing specialist support to assist in a major sea search off the county Mayo coast approximately six miles west of Blacksod to locate an Irish Coast Guard helicopter believed to have entered the sea at approximately 1am on Tuesday 14th March.
The Dublin based search and rescue helicopter R116 had been providing 'top cover' during a medical evacuation of a crewman from a UK registered fishing vessel approximately 150 miles west of Eagle Island in County Mayo, which was completed by Sligo based Coast Guard helicopter R118.
The RV Celtic Voyager is assisting with the search operation this morning (15th March) approximately six miles west of Blacksod. Marine Institute staff from the INFOMAR team, (the national seabed mapping programme) are assisting with the search using specialist multibeam sonar equipment onboard the national research vessel, RV Celtic Voyager.
The search operation is being coordinated by the Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Centre in Malin Head. The RV Celtic Voyager was diverted yesterday from an undergraduate training survey with GMIT, to assist with the search following a request by the Air Accident Investigation Unit of the Department of Transport. Coast Guard search and rescue helicopters, the Air Corps, Navy, RNLI and a number of local fishing vessels are involved in the search operation.
ENDS