Portrush RNLI come to the aid of paddle boarders in difficulty off Ramore Head

The all-weather lifeboat was requested to launch by Belfast Coastguard at 2.50pm this afternoon (Thursday 3 June) to reports of five paddle boarders in difficulty off Ramore Head.

The lifeboat was launched at 2.58pm, and due to the fact that the crew had already assembled for some training, they were able to launch immediately.

The visibility was excellent, with a smooth sea but a strong offshore wind, which made it difficult for the paddleboarders to return to shore.

When the lifeboat arrived on scene, three of the boarders were alongside a local fishing vessel and the lifeboat crew picked the remaining two up. All five paddleboarders were transferred to the lifeboat and brought back to Portrush Harbour at 3.28pm. The paddle boarders were exhausted but otherwise well.

Beni McAllister, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Portrush RNLI said: ‘These paddle boarders were lucky, in that the offshore winds were quite strong and the five paddleboarders were exhausted trying to get back to shore.

The local fishing boat was on scene and assisted until the lifeboat arrived. The fact that we had a crew ready to go, meant we could respond very quickly.

‘We would ask anyone planning a trip to sea to check the weather conditions, especially tides and winds to make sure it is safe to go out. Always have a means of communication with you and make sure someone knows when you will be expected back.’

For further water safety information, visit the RNLI website www.rnli.org/safety

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