Westport Coastguard warning

Parking on Westport slipway could cost lives – Coastguard

Neill O’Neill

A SENIOR member of the Westport Coastguard Unit has expressed concern at recent incidences of people parking on the slipway they use for emergencies at Westport Quay. He also told The Mayo News that they are now considering asking Westport Town Council to pass a bye-law to make parking on this slipway an offence in law.
Last Tuesday the unit was tasked by the Coastguard operations centre in Malin Head to attend an incident in Clew Bay after a fishing vessel got into difficulty and became lodged on rocks. However, they were delayed in their efforts to reach the stricken boat because there were several cars parked on the slipway.
The Coastguard depot is located at the end of the pier at Westport Quay beside the Heritage Centre, while the slipway they use for launching their rescue boat is located at the other end of the pier, adjacent to the gates of Westport House.
Twice in the last month Coastguard volunteers have had to go into the Quay Cottage Restaurant to ask if any customers there had cars parked on the slipway. On both occasions it turned out they had – despite the presence of a sign which asks people not to park there as it is a 24-hour emergency slipway used by the Coastguard.
Last Tuesday’s incident had a happy ending for the two crew and six day-trippers on the boat, as all were ferried from their vessel to another fishing boat which had travelled to the scene upon hearing the distress call. This operation was carried out by members of the Westport Coastguard Unit on their small in-shore rescue craft, as bigger boats which were nearby could not enter the shallow and rocky water.
A Coastguard helicopter from Shannon was on manoeuvres in the region and as a precaution was directed by Malin Head to travel to the incident – which occurred in an area of Clew Bay known as the ‘Scotsman’. It remained overhead until everyone was safely transferred and en route to shore. Later that night the boat was re-floated off the rocks in high water, and had suffered only superficial damage. Contrary to other reports, the Achill Lifeboat was not dispatched to the incident.
The Coastguard spokesperson said that while all responses are rapid, a delay due to parked cars could result in a fatality.
“It is a public slipway so we can’t put a barrier across it,” he said, “and the situation with parking on this slipway is now a serious concern for us. If a boat was sinking the window of opportunity that is open for rescue is short and minutes can save lives. This is the only slipway from which a prompt response can be launched, and it is vital that people do not park on it. In the last month it has been blocked twice as we went to use it – once while on an exercise and once on a live call – and some people are quick to move their vehicles but others are awkward about it, even though we are an emergency service on a call-out. Something urgently needs to be done about it.’