Irish Coast Guard saved 563 lives last year, new figures show

Of the incidents involving vessels at sea, a majority involved pleasure craft at 294. A further 70 merchant crafts were involved in incidents, while 96 were reported involving fishing crafts. Picture: Denis Minihane

The Irish Coast Guard saved more than 560 lives last year through its operations, the highest level in at least seven years, new figures show.

The Department of Transport’s annual report said the Irish Coast Guard, which marked its 200th anniversary last year, responded to 2,704 incidents in 2022.