A FALSE alarm with good intent led the Kinsale RNLI to be involved in a three-and-a-half hour multi-agency search operation late last Sunday night, where heat seeking equipment was used by the crew for the very first time, writes Kieran O’Mahony.

The station’s inshore lifeboat was requested to launch at 9.26pm after a member of the public raised the alarm with the gardaí after they thought they saw someone in difficulty in the area of Gully Bridge.

The lifeboat with four volunteers onboard was launched and they began a search with an ebbing tide from New Bridge to Gully Bridge.

The Irish Coast Guard helicopter, Rescue 115 and the Coast Guard shore units from Oysterhaven and The Old Head were also involved.

At 11pm, a further update came to search the area around Blacks Brewery and the crew made their way there where an extensive search was carried out.

The lifeboat crew as part of their search used heat seeking equipment for the first time.

Follow a thorough search and with nothing found, the crew were stood down at approximately 1am.

Speaking following the call out, John O’Mahony, Kinsale RNLI Launch Authority said this was an extensive search in the hours of darkness on Sunday night.

‘We want to thank and commend all those involved in what was a great joint effort from all the various emergency services. We also want to commend the member of the public who raised the alarm. While on this occasion, it proved to be a false alarm with good intent, we would always much rather launch and find nothing than not launch at all.’

John added that they would encourage anyone who find themselves in difficulty or spots someone else in trouble to call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard.