Red Bay RNLI and Ballycastle Coastguard rescue stranded walkers

The two men and one teenager raised the alarmed when they became disorientated and were unable to make their way to safety.

Ballycastle Coastguard located the walkers as Red Bay RNLI lifeboat crew were launched at 5.05pm and made their way through strong tides to help the three stranded people to safety.

The small group managed to make their way to the base of the cliff where they waited for help. Two of the volunteer crew swam from the lifeboat to the base of the cliff and escorted the three people to safety. The lifeboat crew had taken spare survival suits with them on the callout, which they gave to the three people as they made their way from the cliff out to the lifeboat. The specially made suits are watertight and have a special insulation layer to keep the wearer warm in freezing water. The group were cold but otherwise suffered no injuries. They were brought by lifeboat to Ballycastle and received by the Ballycastle Coastguard team before being returned to their vehicles

Commenting on the callout Red Bay RNLI helm Paddy McLaughlin said: “With the hours of daylight increasing, more people are spending time outdoors and undertaking activities on or near the water. Fair Head is a beautiful part of the coastline and is very popular with walkers and hikers but we would urge caution.

“We receive a large number of callouts to this location each year from people who injure themselves or get into difficulty on the cliff. Always make sure you know where you are going and that you wear and bring the correct equipment with you.

“It is also very important that you bring a means of communication in case you get into difficulty.”