Mother in river rescue pager plea

By Fiona Magennis and Marie Kierans Friday April 12th 2002

THE mother of a young man who drowned in the River Boyne on Sunday has called for the reinstatement of a paging alert system used by both the Drogheda River and Sea Rescue (DRSR) and the Boyne Fishermen River Rescue and Recovery Service (BFRRS).

Mrs Theresa Coyle made her impassioned plea for the paging system to be brought back into use following the death of her son Johnny Coyle, from Ballsgrove.

However, the DRSR have pointed out the system, first brought into use in 1997, was only ever intended to be a temporary system and was introduced through an arrangement with the DRSR and the Drogheda Fire Brigade.

A spokesperson explained: ‘It was an arrangement between ourselves and the fire brigade, but it was only ever brought in on the understanding that this was a temporary measure. They only gave us a loan of a frequency and we bought the pagers, but it was understood when it was brought in that it was only temporary.’

The 32-year-old’s death is the third tragedy to hit the family; in 1976 Johnny’s brother Karl (3) was knocked down and killed in a road traffic accident near his home and in 1986 his 17-year-old brother, Damien also drowned in the River Boyne.

The BFRRS have also called for the old system to be brought back into use, highlighting the fact that they were just seconds away from Mr Coyle when the tragedy struck, carrying out training on the river.

They claim that had the old system still been in use they could have been at the scene in under a minute and there was ‘a great possibility’ they could have saved his life.

‘We had three boats on the river at the time about 200 yards above it but on the blind side,’ explained BFRRS member Frank Smyth.

‘The first thing we knew anything about it was when Drogheda River and Sea Rescue Service (DRSR) came down and said not to remove the third boat from the water.’

A heartbroken Theresa this week praised the work carried out by the Boyne Fishermen, which is all done voluntarily, and said she could not stress enough how important the service they provide is. Speaking of the tragedy she has had to deal with over the years she said: ‘I lost one son in 1976, he was killed in an accident.

‘Then I lost another one in 1986, Damien who was 17, off the Bridge of Peace. He was the first person ever to die there. Now, years later, his brother is lost as well.’

Johnny Coyle is survived by his parents, Theresa and Jimmy, his three children Jodie, Sinead and Conor, his brothers PJ, Earl and Christopher and his sister Samantha.

Town Clerk Des Foley explained that as the DRSR are the only service affiliated to the Irish Coastguard they are the only ones contacted by the coastguard after an emergency call has been made.

He said it would be preferable to have both groups affiliated to the Coastguard. ‘My understanding is that the BFRRS have applied to be affiliated and that their application is being processed by the Irish Water Safety and the Irish Coastguard.’

At the moment the BFRRS depends on a call from the Gardaí.

‘But this takes more time because one person gets a call and then they have to call everyone else. Before, all 16 people who had a pager were informed straight away,’ Mr Smyth commented.

Meanwhile, standing orders at Drogheda Borough Council’s monthly meeting were suspended on Monday night to discuss the river rescue situation.

Over 60 members of the BFRRS mounted a protest at the meeting and a minute’s silence was observed in memory of Johnny Coyle.

A succession of councillors condemned the new paging system introduced by the Department of the Marine through the Irish Coastguard and vowed to do everything in their power to ensure that the BFRRS were made a part of the new communication system.

Proposing the suspension of the standing orders Cllr Frank Godfrey praised the great work being carried out by both the DRSR and the BFRRS and insisted that had the old paging system been in operation the BFRRS would have been at the scene almost immediately as they were on the river at the time.

‘I ask that this pager system be restored to them. Who made the decision to cut it off in the first place?’

Alderman Tommy Murphy proposed that the council write immediately to the Irish Coastguard and demand that the system be restored to the BFRRS.

‘These people are doing marvellous work. They are a voluntary group and are out on that river day and night,’ he said.

Cllr Frank Maher said that the Coastguard appeared to have ‘done this without talking to anyone.

’‘It is extraordinary. We should be treating these people as heroes instead of slapping them down. We want the pager service returned.’

Cllr Tommy Byrne said that he was shocked over the situation while Alderman Maria O’Brien Campbell said that the council should contact the Department of Marine with great urgency.

The Boyne Fishermen are as much a part of the emergency services in the town as any other group and the council must be seen to rectify the situation, Cllr Sean Collins said.

Cllr Malachy Godfrey said that it was very disheartening to hear what was happening. ‘We will not accept this.’

Cllr Frank Godfrey described it as ‘amazing’ that the other rescue and recovery service have the paging system. ‘They’ve been given proper recognition while it appears that the BFRRS have been given no recognition. It is an imbalance.’

The Mayor Jimmy Mulroy, who called for a minute’s silence in memory of Johnny Coyle, described it as a very sad evening.

‘It is a very sad time for the family of the young man who must be devastated. I acknowledge the contribution made by both recovery services in the town.’

‘We must endeavour to get the BFRRS affiliated to the Irish Coastguard. Whatever obstacles there are, whatever it takes, we should do it. We all have a responsibility as political representatives to ensure that they are affiliated and to ensure that this doesn’t happen again.’

Following the public meeting members of the BFRRS met in private with councillors and officials of Drogheda Borough Council.

Extending their deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the deceased, the DRSR said ‘all that was humanly possible’ was done by the members of the DRSR.

The concise timing of the events of the day were as follows: 13.55, Drogheda Garda rang the Irish Coastguard, 13.56pm, DRSR pagers were sounded, 13.58, Drogheda Fire Service received emergency call, 14.00 Fire Service arrived on scene, the victim was not visible.

At 14.03 the DRSR launched a boat, reaching the scene at 14.07. At 14.14 an underwater search commenced and the victim was recovered at 14.25 and brought to the DRSR boathouse slipway to await the arrival of an ambulance.

© Drogheda Independent