The Coast Guard says its Shannon-based crew had their busiest year on record in 2013.
The Clare-based helicopter flew 290 missions last year, a figure the Irish Coast Guard describes as ‘remarkable’, while the remaining choppers at Dublin, Sligo and Waterford combined for a total of 518 missions.
The number of fishing vessel incidents increased by 20%, while the Coast Guard has expressed concern about the rising number of incidents involving jet-skis.
