Portrush RNLI brings unmanned jet ski found off Inishowen Head to safety
Portrush RNLI’s all-weather class lifeboat was requested to launch by the Coastguard yesterday (Thursday 16 July) at 8.28pm to reports of an unmanned jet ski just off the beach at Benone.
The jet ski had been launched at Benone beach, but the owner had fallen off just after refuelling and as the jet ski was self propelling, it was decided to launch the the lifeboat as a precaution as it could constitute a hazard to other vessels in the area. The man was safe and well.
Weather conditions at the time were ideal as the sea state was smooth and visbility was good, however the light was starting to fade.
The volunteer crew scanned the area around Inishowen from 9pm and eventually located the jetski just off Inishowen head at 9.35pm. They established a towline and brought the jetski safely back to Portrush harbour at 10.20pm.
Judy Nelson, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer at Portrush RNLI said: ‘This call out happened at the culmination of a long day for our volunteer crew as they had already taken our lifeboat to Killybegs this morning at 7.45am for her service and had just returned home at 4pm approximately.
‘We would like to commend the owner of the jet ski for doing the the right thing in alerting the Coastguard as an unmanned jet ski in busy waters at dusk could have posed a major risk to other vesssels in the immediate vicinity.’
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