fleet of Sikorsky S-61N helicopters were replaced with five newer Sikorsky S-92 helicopters. One of the new S-92 helicopters is located at each of the four IRCG bases, with one additional aircraft being rotated between bases. The first operational S-92 helicopter was delivered to the Irish Coast Guard in January 2012 and given the registration EI-ICG. After a period of training and pilot conversion (from the S-61N type), this helicopter was given call-sign "RESCUE115" and replaced the S-61N that was previously based at Shannon. The five S-92's were given the registrations EI-ICG, EI-ICU, EI-ICA, EI-ICR, EI-ICD – with the last letter of each registration spelling out "GUARD". As of late 2016, the S-92s were deployed as: Callsign Rescue 118 operating from Sligo, Rescue 117 operating from Waterford, Rescue 115 operating from Shannon, and Rescue 116 operating from Dublin. While EI-ICG was delivered as "factory new" from Sikorsky in the US, the other S-92 aircraft were ex-UK Coastguard equipment. Following the 2017 crash of EI-ICR (Rescue 116), a newer S-92 replacement was sourced by CHC from Australia, and registered as EI-ICS. In mid-2020, the Irish Coast Guard launched a tender for a future SAR aviation contract, to supersede the (2010) CHC agreement. Incidents In July 1999, an Air Corps helicopter crashed: The four crew members of a Dauphin helicopter, on SAR duties, died shortly after midnight on 2 July 1999, when their helicopter hit a sand dune in thick fog at Tramore Beach, County Waterford, while returning from a successful rescue mission. In September 2016, a Coast Guard volunteer, Caitriona Lucas, died while on a rescue/recovery mission in County Clare. In March 2017, RESCUE 116 crashed providing cover for another Coast Guard helicopter off the coast of County Mayo. Captain Dara Fitzpatrick was recovered from the water at around 7 am on 14 March in a critical condition, and transferred to Mayo University Hospital where she was pronounced dead. Captain Mark Duffy was recovered from the wreckage on the 26 March. Winch crew Paul Ormsby and Ciarán Smith remain missing. See also Commissioners of Irish Lights Royal National Lifeboat Institution His Majesty's Coastguard Isle of Man Coastguard References External links Howth Coast Guard unit, Co Dublin Doolin Coast Guard unit, Co Clare (archived) Skerries Coast Guard unit, Co Dublin Bonmahon Coast Guard unit, Co Waterford Coast guards Coast Guard Coast Guard 1822 establishments in Ireland