Portaferry RNLI go to the aid of missing diver on Strangford Lough

The man had been diving with a number of others in Ringhaddy Sound, Strangford Lough County Down when he became separated from the rest of his party while returning to the surface.

The Portaferry lifeboat, an inshore Atlantic 85, launched at 4.18pm and its crew were quickly on scene at 4.30pm to help with the search for the missing man. At the time the weather was partly cloudy with good visibility, a force 3-4 southerly wind and calm sea.

Once the volunteer crew from Portaferry arrived, they were directed to a landing area nearby where the missing diver had been helped to shore by a member of the public who had been on the water in a small boat.

The RNLI crew assessed the man’s condition to make sure that he was in no immediate harm before a paramedic from the Irish Coast Guards Rescue 116 helicopter arrived. The man was found to be fine and the volunteer RNLI crew then left the scene at 5.10pm to return to station

Ends

RNLI media contacts
For more information please contact Bernard Roddy, Portaferry RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer at [email protected] or telephone 07717318003, or Nuala McAloon, RNLI Press Officer Ireland on 00353876483547, email [email protected] or Niamh Stephenson, RNLI Public Relations Manager Ireland on 00 353 87 1254 124 or [email protected]

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The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 142,700 lives.

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