
Portaferry RNLI Rescue Two Crew After Fishing Vessel Suffers Engine Failure
The volunteer lifeboat crew at Portaferry RNLI launched on Thursday 18 February, to the aid of two men on board an angling boat experiencing engine problems off the County Down coast.
The volunteer crew of the Portaferry lifeboat, an Inshore Atlantic 85, launched at 6.45pm having received a launch request from the Coastguard concerning two on board a 36-foot angling boat which was experiencing engine problems in South Bay, north-east of Ballyquinten Point off the County Down Coast.
The two crew on board the stricken vessel had been on route to Carrick Marina, when they started to lose power and contacted the emergency services for assistance.
The volunteer RNLI crew arrived on scene at 7.10pm. Having assessed the situation and with nobody in immediate danger, the RNLI crew established a towline and started to tow the casualty vessel back to Strangford Marina in Strangford Lough County Down.
After towing the stricken vessel for an hour and 20 minutes, the Portaferry RNLI crew brought the vessel safely into Strangford Marina where it was secured and the two crew safely returned to shore.
The weather conditions at the time were described as clear with a slight sea swell, excellent visibility and a force 1-2 westerly wind.
Brian Bailie, Lifeboat Operations Manager for the Portaferry RNLI Station said: ‘Once again it has been a great outcome and testament to the hard work and training the RNLI volunteers put in to answer calls for help at sea. The two men on board the casualty boat took the right decision to call for assistance before their situation could become potentially more serious.”
The Portaferry lifeboat was also called out that same evening when HM Coastguard alerted the Kilkeel, Newcastle and Portaferry RNLI lifeboats after red flares were seen off the coast of Dundrum/Newcastle.
