Newcastle RNLI came to the aid of two people after their 8.5m motorboat broke down off the County Down coast on Tuesday afternoon. The volunteer crew launched after Belfast Coastguard received reports that the Merry Fisher vessel had suffered mechanical failure and was drifting south of St John’s Point.
Newcastle’s Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat launched at 2.49 pm with helm Shane Rice, navigator Niall McMurray and crew members Danni Curley and Trez Dennison onboard. The casualty vessel was located eight nautical miles south of St John’s Point.
On arrival, the RNLI crew found both occupants safe and wearing lifejackets. However, with the vessel drifting towards a shipping channel and posing a navigational hazard, the crew decided the safest option was to establish a tow.
The lifeboat brought the vessel safely to Ardglass Marina, where it was berthed around an hour later with assistance from Kilkeel Coastguard.
Speaking after the callout, Newcastle RNLI helm Shane Rice urged boat users to prepare properly before heading afloat. “Always wear a lifejacket or suitable personal flotation device, always carry a means of communication such as a fully charged mobile phone and always let someone know where you are going and when you are due back,” he said.
Rice also repeated the RNLI’s “Float to Live” advice for anyone unexpectedly entering the water. “Stay calm and fight any instinct to panic or thrash around,” he said. “Tilt your head back, relax and try to breathe normally.”
