A Waterford TD says clear failings with safety systems led to a needless loss of life in the Rescue 116 tragedy.
Deputy Marc O'Cathasaigh (Green Party) spoke in the Dail last night under statements into the Air Accident Investigation Unit Final Report into the tragedy.
In a sombre debate on Wednesday evening, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said that he accepted the recommendations from the report.
Rescue 116 crashed off Co Mayo at 12.46am on March 14th, 2017, with four crew on board after it struck Blackrock Island, 19km off the coast.
Deputy O'Cathasaigh paid tribute to the work of the rescue services in the Dail last night, but says there were warning signs before this tragedy.
He says there were reports after the Rescue 111 tragedy also - when four men lost their lives after crashing onto Tramore Beach in July 1999.
"It is a technical report that lays out probable and contributory causes. There were clear failings with safety systems, processes, oversights and usability issues, all of which resulted in this needless loss of life. I welcome the 42 safety recommendations within the report. They are clearly explained and outline what is required in order to help prevent another aviation tragedy such as this, but we had reports after R111 as well."
Rescue 111
The crew of Rescue 111 set off after a five-metre vessel became lost in bad weather off the coast of Dungarvan, while the Irish Coast Guard also launched the Helvick inshore lifeboat.
Implementation
The Green Party TD has called on all agencies to implement the recommendations from the Rescue 116 report instantly to avoid future loss of life.
"The responsibility to implement each of the 42 safety recommendations outlined in this air accident report spans the operator, CHC Ireland, as well as the Irish Aviation Authority, the Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, the European Commission and the Department of Transport. I am glad the Department fully accepts all the recommendations of the report and has undertaken a programme of change to address several of the issues raised, but every agency with responsibility to implement these safety recommendations needs to do so, and quickly."
'Lip service'
Unless safety recommendations from the Rescue 116 report are actioned, it's merely 'a lip service.'
The Green Party representative used the opportunity to highlight ongoing issues in Tramore and Helvick, and says we need to ensure the best possible working conditions for rescue services.
"Unless we match that sincere regard with the action required to ensure every barrier to their work is removed and the best safety systems are deployed for them, then it is only lip service. The RNLI lifeboat at Tramore has to contend with water quality issues when it launches. The RNLI lifeboat stationed at Helvick Harbour is on restricted service because of the build-up of silt in the harbour which makes it unnavigable at low tide. We need to ensure our search and rescue crews, both sea and air, have robust safeguards and the best possible working conditions. We can memorialise the brave people tragically lost in R116 and it is right and fitting to do so, but it would be a much more fitting tribute to make sure that we do not have another such tragedy and report in the future."
Waterford Airport
Independent Waterford TD Matt Shanahan also spoke in the Dail on the same matter. He paid tribute to those who had lost their lives, and raised the issue of funding for Waterford Airport.
"With reference to the R117 service in Waterford, perhaps the Minister will comment on why his Department is now reneging on a commitment to provide stopgap funding of €350,000 per annum to Waterford Airport, the home of R117, while the airport awaits planning permission for a new runway extension. This reneging comes at a time when the Minister has announced funding of €126 million to support all other regional airports. The hypocrisy shown by the Government in failing to support or secure Waterford Airport and its R117 helicopter service is breathtaking in light of the funding of €126 that was announced."
Comfort
Deputy Shanahan says he hopes the report on Rescue 116 can bring comfort to the families of those who passed away.
"The withdrawal of the Waterford Airport service and moneys dishonours those in our Waterford rescue base, which provides life-saving assistance to the population of the south east from Waterford Airport each day. I hope the report on R116 and the planned implementation of recommendations can bring some comfort and closure to the families involved and to all those with loved ones who operate in the air and sea rescue service. Regarding R116, mistakes have been identified. They must now be fully acknowledged and rectified. Remediating action must be plain to see for everybody involved in the air and sea rescue service so some good can come of this tragedy and to ensure such an accident will never happen again."
