Coastguard assisted 8,300 people last year
The Irish Coastguard assisted more than 8,300 people last year, according to figures released today.
The service attended a total of 1,772 incidents during 2002.
The number of rescues undertaken increased significantly during the year, largely due to the assistance given by the Coastguard during flooding in February and November.
Marine Minister Dermot Ahern has paid tribute to the work of coastal units, but also expressed concern at the number of hoax calls made to the Coastguard.
