Rescue 116 tragedy: History of the Irish Coast Guard

The Irish Coast Guard was established in 2000, evolving from the former Irish Marine Emergency Service (IMES) founded in 1991.

The service is considered one of the most progressive search-and-rescue organisations in the world with 1,000 volunteers from 47 bases around the country.

Units are located in coastal areas and inland waterways while volunteers work off a pager system, answering calls 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It has been estimated 800,000 man hours of service are performed by volunteers annually, with officers-in-charge (OIC) devoting up to 2,000 hours a year in direct service.