Underwater Search Unit

Underwater Search Unit

The Underwater Search Unit consists of fully trained and certified Rescue Divers, a Dive Management Team and a Boat Team all working in conjunction with each other. The system we have in place is very efficient for searching rivers, lakes and open water. We use a grid system of searching which eliminates the factor of human error.

The Dive Management team select the site and area for diving, set up timelines and safety measures.

The Boat Team are responsible for the safe ingress and egress of the diver to and from the water. The Boat Team are also solely responsible for navigation of the dive. They keep constant communications with the divers through Underwater Comms.

The Dive team is made up of fifteen members, who have qualifications from PADI Openwater up to Commercial Diving level. A dive team will consist of a minimum of Two divers on each dive, for safety reasons and for efficiency in searching the area.

A standby Diver is on the boat at all times in the event both divers get into difficulty, also the standby diver can be sent down to assist in a recovery. Each dive would usually take an hour, and then a second set of divers are on hand to take over. Dive’s are taken in turns on a shift basis, Two in Two out.

A second underwater search team from the Boyne Fishermen's Rescue and Recovery Service is located in the west of Ireland.Consisting of approx 12 members they are highly trained in boathandling procedures and underwater search and recovery techiques.This is a great asset to the unit and can be called on at a moments notice to respond the an incident.

The Boyne Fishermen's Rescue and Recovery Service aspires to answer any call for help throughout the 32 counties, and where possible shall persist with the search until the missing person is returned to their family; this aspiration has yet to be broken.