#RNLI - Portaferry RNLI launched on Saturday (22 August) to the aid of a 40-foot yacht experiencing steering problems while sailing on Strangford Lough.
The volunteer crew were paged at 4.32pm and the RNLI lifeboat, an inshore Atlantic 85 named Blue Peter V, was launched three minutes later.
The crew were on scene just east of Dead Man’s Rock at 4.50pm where they met the stricken yacht, which had four adults and five children on board.
At the time the weather was cloudy with rain, a slight breeze and good visibility.
Once they had assessed the situation, the lifeboat crew took the yacht alongside and commenced to tow it and the nine on board to moorings at Ringhaddy.
Portaferry lifeboat operations manager Brian Bailie said: "We had a particularly quick response time today as a number of volunteer crew members were already at the station for a fund raising tractor run.
"Once again the hard work and dedication of our volunteer crew members has resulted in today’s callout culminating in a happy ending with everyone returned home safely."