A group of kayakers who narrowly escaped a fatal accident on a trip off the coast of Donegal last year, had gone out in unsuitable weather conditions with inadequate safety equipment and protective clothing, an inquiry has found.
Some of those who went out on the trip on Mulroy Bay on March 19th last year were even wearing normal coats and trousers while the trip organiser had inadequate training and qualifications.
An investigation by the Marine Casualty Investigation Board into the incident found the five adults on the trip had little or no experience of kayaking either.
It revealed the incident occurred at a time a Small Craft Warning was in place to alert seafarers that winds of at least Force 6 were expected.
The MCIB said the disregard for training and qualification schemes for a sea kayak instructor was a major contributory factor.
The marine safety watchdog also expressed concern about a continuing increase in the number of very serious incidents involving paddlesports.
The MCIB said the general safety environment around paddlesports in Ireland was a systemic factor in the incident in Mulroy Bay.
A MCIB report revealed that three other providers of kayaking trips had refused to bring the group out that day because the weather forecast indicated it would not be suitable for kayaking.
Investigators found the trip organiser only had a basic skills award in kayaking and did not hold any instructor qualification from either Canoeing Ireland or any similar body.
The group got into difficulty after the wind speed increased and sea conditions deteriorated.
For full report see https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/kayakers-went-out-in-unsuitable-weather-conditions-with-inadequate-safety-equipment-inquiry-finds-1477874.html
