Bangor RNLI volunteers respond twice in one day coming to aid of a kitesurfer
Following the naming ceremony of their new lifeboat on Saturday, Bangor RNLI volunteers had a busy Sunday with the Ruby Robinson in action twice responding to separate call outs.
On arrival, the crew found the kitesurfer in the water. They were exhausted and unable to remount their board. The crew brought the casualty onboard and retrieved their equipment from the water. The lifeboat crew proceeded to bring the casualty ashore where they were handed them into the care of the Coastguard's shore team.
Once this had been successfully completed, the lifeboat returned to Bangor and was made ready for her next service at 10.05am. Greeting the Ruby Robinson back into the station were Jason and Vicky Clarke, family members of the late Dennis Filby, the donor of the lifeboat. Jason and Vicky had attended the naming ceremony and service of dedication for the new lifeboat on Saturday.
Later in the day, at 4.39pm, pagers sounded for the second time. On this occasion, HM Coastguard requested the inshore lifeboat to go to Crawfordsburn beach following reports of an 18ft speed boat taking on water. The lifeboat crew made best speed to the scene and once there, discovered an 18ft speed boat underwater. The single occupant of the boat had managed to make it unaided to the shore and was assisted by the HM Coastguard shore team before being transferred into the care of the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service.
Bangor RNLI helm Gavin Mitchell assessed the situation and with the boat not causing any obstruction to marine traffic or environmental harm, the lifeboat was stood down and returned to Bangor station where she was refuelled, washed and made ready for her next service at 6.25pm.
Speaking after the call outs, Bangor RNLI Helm James Gillespie said 'We had a good outcome this morning and wish to thank the member of the public who alerted the Coastguard when they saw a kitesurfer in trouble. We would recommend that it is always better to kite with another person and never to ride out further than you can swim back.
'Thankfully, on the second occasion, the single occupant of the boat was able to make it ashore.
'It was great that Jason and Vicky saw Mr Filby's legacy at work this morning and witnessed the valuable contribution Ruby Robinson is making to Belfast Lough.'
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For further information, contact Tom Bell, Bangor RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer at [email protected]
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