Volunteer lifeboat crew at Portaferry RNLI responded to a launch request from the Coastguard this evening, Sunday 5 June 201, to go to the aid of a man and two children on board a 16-foot motor boat which was experiencing engine problems.
The volunteer crew received the request at 6.55pm and the RNLI Lifeboat, an inshore Atlantic 85, launched shortly after at 7.01pm.
At the time of the launch, the weather was sunny with very good visibility with a Force Three north-easterly wind and smooth sea conditions.
The man and two children on board the motor boat had begun to experience intermittent engine problems while at the entrance to Strangford Lough, and had used an auxiliary engine to get to Guns Island, a small island just off Ballyhornan in County Down.
The Portaferry Lifeboat crew arrived with the casualty vessel at 7.16pm and were told by the man on board that he had managed to solve the problems and had the engine restarted.
The volunteer crew, however, remained with the motor boat as it made its way to Ardglass Marina to ensure that they didn’t experience any further problems and were returned to shore safely.
