Portrush lifeboat crew respond to call they ‘dread to receive’ and share potentially life-saving tip with families
Families have been urged to take a photo of their children as soon as they arrive at Northern Ireland beaches over the summer just in case “the worst happens”.
The request comes after Portrush inshore lifeboat was requested to launch by Belfast Coastguard at 2.09pm on Sunday afternoon to reports of a missing child at Benone beach.
The volunteer crew along with RNLI lifeguards, HM Coastguard and Irish Coastguard vessels based at Greencastle conducted a search along the stretch of water where the child was last seen.
Fortunately, the child turned up on the shore at 3.07pm.
However, on the way back from this shout, the lifeboat crew was diverted to Benone beach to assist with a person who had collapsed. The doctor with the volunteer crew assisted the Coastguards to assess and treat the casualty.at 3.40 pm.
Wesley Moore, Launch Authority at Portrush RNLI said: “This has been the fourth shout in 24 hours for our crew and call for a missing child is always a call our volunteer crew dread to receive.
"At this time beaches are busy, and children can very quickly wander off. We would ask that you supervise children closely, take a picture of them when you arrive at the beach, so if the worst happens you can give an accurate description to the Coastguard and our crews.
"Our lifeguards are now back on the beaches are happy to advise about wind and tides which can change very quickly.
“Both outcomes were good and something our crew train for on a regular basis, with our interagency partners. We hope both casualties recover quickly from their ordeal.”