Portaferry RNLI rescue male from the water
Portaferry RNLI rescued a male after he drifted more than a mile out to sea while holding on to the edge of a 15ft Cabin Cruiser this afternoon (Tuesday 23 August)
The lifeboat crew were launched to reports of a person in the water after the alarm was raised by a local woman at Kilclief Gaelic park when she heard calls for help and contacted Belfast Coastguard.
Portaferry RNLI’s volunteer crew launched the inshore lifeboat promptly at 3.40pm and made their way to Rock Angus in Strangford Lough. When on scene at 3.45pm, the lifeboat crew faced force four conditions with excellent visibility and a choppy sea state.
When the lifeboat crew located the casualty in the water and clinging to the cabin cruiser at the bar buoy at the start of Strangford Lough, they immediately set about bringing him onboard the lifeboat while checking him over for any injuries. The crew then proceeded back to Strangford harbour and transferred the casualty into the care of his family and Portaferry Coastguard rescue team.
Once the crew left the casualty at Strangford, they headed back to the lifeboat station to pick up another crew member and the salvage pump in case the casualty boat was taking on water. When on scene again with the casualty boat, the crew checked the area over for any debris and then recovered the casualty boat and established a tow to Strangford harbour.
Commenting on the call out, Portaferry Lifeboat Press Officer, Jordan Conway said: ‘We were glad to rescue the casualty this afternoon and bring him to safety. The member of the public did the right thing by contacting the coastguard when she heard the calls for help’.
Key facts about the RNLI
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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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
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