Coastguard rescue two men at Dunluce Castle

Two men have been rescued by Coastguards after they got into difficulties while coasteering near Dunluce Castle.
Coastguards begin to winch two stranded coasteerers to safety near Dunluce Castle.Coastguards begin to winch two stranded coasteerers to safety near Dunluce Castle.
Coastguards begin to winch two stranded coasteerers to safety near Dunluce Castle.

The men had been swimming between rocky outcrops with a colleague when one of them got caught in the heavy swell. All three had sought the safety of the rocks beneath the 100 foot cliffs east of the Castle.

Realising that they were now potentially trapped by the swell, one of the party managed to come ashore in a nearby gully and raise the alarm.

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The Coleraine Coastguard Team, backed up by colleagues from Ballycastle, and a Senior Coastal Operations Officer, were tasked to the scene.

The Portrush All-weather Lifeboat was also alerted. Two Coastguard Rope Rescue Technicians were lowered down the steep cliff and the two casualties were winched to safety before being checked over by Ambulance Paramedics. PSNI Officers also attended the scene.

After the incident, Coastguard Station Officer Chris Little sounded a note of caution: “Please make sure that you have the experience and equipment needed for your chosen activity.

“Be particularly mindful of the sea conditions, especially of the swell near rocks. If you see someone in difficulty, use the 999 system to call the Coastguard.”