Portaferry’s volunteer lifeboat crew had a busy Saturday (17 August), launching twice before providing rescue cover at a local triathlon event.
The first callout was in the morning to a 21ft yacht with engine failure that was at risk of drifting ashore at Newtownards Sailing Club in Strangford Lough, Portaferry RNLI says.
The lifeboat arrived on scene 25 minutes after launch in rough seas and set about establishing a tow to bring the yacht to the moorings at Newtownards Sailing Club, where the two men on board were met by the Bangor Coastguard rescue team.
“They certainly took the right course of action calling for help once they realised that the engine had failed,” the station’s deputy launching authority said.
“We are all delighted with the outcome and urge anyone considering going on the water to take all necessary precautions.”
In the afternoon, the crew were on standby in the station waiting for the triathlon to commence when they noticed a yacht drifting backwards in the Narrows.
They promptly launched the inshore lifeboat to assist the six-metre yacht to nearly moorings in Castleward Bay.