Bord Iascaigh Mhara to offer new lifejackets with built-in GPS trackers
New lifejackets with built-in GPS trackers are being offered as part of the first national safety campaign for the fishing industry.
Over the last 10 years, there have been 53 deaths of fishermen in Irish waters out of a total of 3,500 workers.
Bord Iascaigh Mhara or BIM is aiming for a target of no deaths in the fishing industry, after four people drowned just last year.
David Massey was a crew member on board a fishing boat that sank last April off the coast of Wicklow.
He was wearing a lifejacket with a built in locator beacon, and activated it once he was in the water.
"There's a little seal you break off when she inflates, and it's broke the seal and the aerial pops out of her and you press the button - send a signal to the coastguard and a signal to the lifeboat," he said.
"They knew straight away within minutes - they were in the helicopter and had a bearing on us in the water.
"They knew exactly where I was in the water."
