This afternoon (Sunday 1 December) Portrush All Weather Lifeboat (ALB) was requested to launch by Belfast Coastguard to reports of a person who had fallen at the Giants Causeway in County Antrim.
The volunteer crew were paged at 1:32pm and launched the ALB at 1.50pm. The sea state was calm, the visibility was good with a southwest wind.
The Lifeboat arrived on scene at 2.21pm where the Air Ambulance was already on scene. Because of the location of the casualty the decision was made to deploy The Y boat from the ALB to take the doctor from the Air Ambulance to the area where the person had fallen.
The casualty was examined and then winched into the Coastguard helicopter R199 and transported to hospital. The doctor from the Air Ambulance was then taken back to their helicopter by crew members Debs Smyth and Roo McCrudden in the Y boat.
Ivor Paul Deputy Launching Authority at Portrush Lifeboat Station said:
“This was a perfect example of good interagency working with our crew, The Air Ambulance, and the Coastguard. Weather conditions were perfect, and we wish the casualty well.”
The ALB and her crew returned to station at 4pm
Crew today were Perry Walton Coxswain; Davy Conley Mechanic; Roo McCrudden; Debs Smyth; Tim Nelson; Annie Jagoe; and Ishy McIntyre.
Launch Authority: Ivor Paul.