Double rescue for Portaferry lifeboat

Double rescue for Portaferry lifeboat

22 February 2012

PORTAFERRY Lifeboat crew rescued several men during two incidents last week.

The first two men were rescued from Trasnagh Island in Whiterock Bay on Tuesday night after their small boat filled with water.

They had taken refuge on the island where they were stranded until the rescue.

Portaferry Lifeboat operations manager, Mr. Brian Bailie, said the rescue took place on a “choppy night” during bad conditions.

Two days later, the RNLI team rescued a kayaker from the water after he capsized. The team also brought a further three kayakers to safety when they got into difficulty two miles south east of the entrance to Strangford Lough.

Their call for assistance was received at 11.51am on Thursday with a report that the four male kayakers were in difficulty.

The lifeboat crew launched and was on scene in 18 minutes. Conditions were reported as a force four and the sea state

was choppy.  The men were described as very cold but were wearing the proper clothing for their activity.

Mr. Bailie said the rescue effort was “a good result for the lifeboat crew.”

“These four kayakers had the proper equipment but the seas were a bit choppy and one of the group was exhausted in the water after capsizing so the situation could have deteriorated quickly,” he said.

“The lifeboat crew recovered the four men onboard the lifeboat and brought them back to the slip in Portaferry.

“They then returned to recover the kayaks as they would represent a hazard on the water.”