Today, the last day of 2015, while many of us are preparing to greet the New Year in the best possible way, a number of ERRC volunteers are involved in the annual ambulance service to cover these social events to keep everyone safe.
Mr Ripley Davenport has been helping in a different way, away from home, in the Aegean Sea, supporting Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) since 20 December this year. MOAS, inaugurated in August 25, in 2014, is a humanitarian search and rescue vessel assisting migrants in distress, operating in the Mediterranean Sea.
At the moment Mr Davenport is working alongside another rescue swimmer from Belfast, from the Lagan Search and Rescue, Mr Tim Brown. Later on in January, another Rescue Swimmer from the ERRC will join the Ripley.
Last Monday, Mr Davenport and Mr Brown were involved in the rescue of 59 Syrian migrants. Their boat had taken on a lot of water and they were very wet and cold. Yesterday, they were involved in another rescue operation. “We launched at 6am to investigate a small group of refugees that had crossed during the night and landed on a small island. They only just made land as their small dingy was literally crushed between the waves and rocks, Everyone got on land safely, the Greek Coast Guard arrived to assist and we returned to the responder” said Mr Davenport
The current sea conditions are not the best, at the moment “Sea is rough, Currently force 8 with sustained winds of 45 to 50k.”