The Irish Coast Guard has postponed the new Search and Rescue operating system at its Sligo base due to safety concerns regarding the transition schedule.
Bristow Helicopters was awarded a €670m contract in August 2023 to operate the SAR service, originally set to take over from CHC Ireland by February 14.
Chris Reynolds, the former head of the Coast Guard, criticized the short training period for staff and highlighted ongoing safety risks in operational environments.
The transition for all SAR bases to complete by June 30, 2025, has already faced delays, with the Shannon base partially operational and still transitioning as of December 8, 2023.
