Portrush lifeboat third busiest in Province

The figures show an increase of 38% in the number of launches carried out by Northern Ireland’s RNLI lifeboats last year as compared to the previous year.

The statistics released by the charity show that lifeboats based at the nine lifeboat stations in Northern Ireland launched 272 times and rescued 261 people.

The RNLI is releasing the lifeboat statistics as it prepares for SOS day this Friday (January 29), the charity’s biggest annual fundraising day. Events are being organised around the province to raise funds to ensure that the charity can continue to provide the training and equipment for its volunteer lifeboat crews as they save lives at sea and on inland waters.

The busiest lifeboat station in Northern Ireland was Bangor with 55 launches and 69 people rescued. This was followed by the RNLI’s inland stations on Lough Erne in Enniskillen which launched 51 times and rescued 67 people. Portrush followed with 40 callouts bringing 11 people to safety.

The charity is gearing up for a very busy year in Northern Ireland.

Portrush mechanic Anthony Chambers is due to receive a bronze medal from the charity for his rescue of two boys from a cave last Summer and the station also celebrates its 150th anniversary.