Coastguard involved in series of rescues

The first occurred on Wednesday evening when a young woman was reported at risk on the rocks at Portrush Harbour.

Coastguards from Coleraine worked alongside police at the scene to bring the casualty to safety. She was immediately taken to the Causeway Hospital by paramedics.

On Friday afternoon Coastguard and Lifeboat teams were again in action when a 30 foot fishing vessel developed engine problems off Whitepark Bay. The stricken vessel was towed to Portrush Harbour where it was met by Coastguards.

Shortly after 9pm that evening a full scale rescue operation was launched when Coastguards received an emergency call reporting two teenage boys in difficulty in the sand-dunes at the East Strand Portrush.

Two response vehicles from Coleraine Coastguard attended the scene, backed up by ambulance paramedics and police. Two boys, believed to be 14 years old, were carried to safety by Coastguard Officers before being taken to the Causeway Hospital.

At approximately 3pm the following day, another serious incident occurred when a surfer was swept some 800 yards out to sea at Benone Strand. As Coastguard and Lifeboat teams converged on the scene, the man was rescued from the surf by the lifeguards.

A second surfing incident took place on Sunday morning at the West Strand Portrush when a member of the public noticed a surfer apparently in difficulties near the Black Rocks.

Coastguards from Coleraine were quickly on the scene, closely followed by the Portrush Inshore Lifeboat and a lifeguard jet-ski.

In spite of the heavy swell, the surfer was quickly recovered by the Inshore Lifeboat and transferred to Portrush Harbour where he was handed into the care of Coastguards.

Coastguard Station Officer Chris Little said,” Thankfully the alert was raised quickly in each of these incidents, enabling rescue personnel to arrive promptly on scene.

“Thanks to the close co-operation between the various rescue services involved, all of these potentially very serious incidents were brought to a safe conclusion.”