Busy weekend of incidents for Larne RNLI crew

Pamela Dorman, Catherine Callghan and Scott Leitch head back to Larne Harbour onboard the inshore lifeboat. INLT 09-321-PR

The inshore lifeboat Hannahbella Ferguson was launched on Saturday, July 12 at 7.50am, following a report that someone had been spotted on Muck Island.

However, after arriving at the scene, all that was recovered was a dinghy which had fallen off the back of a yacht.

On Monday, July 14, the inshore lifeboat was again tasked to Port Muck, this time after someone had gotten into trouble in a kayak just off the coast.

It transpired that the person in question was stranded on an inflatable dinghy. He was rescued and landed at East Antrim Boat Club.

Finally on Tuesday, July 15, the RNLI volunteers were once again dispatched to Islandmagee – this time to Browns Bay, where it was reported that two people were in trouble in the water.

But it prove to be a false alarm.

Larne RNLI volunteer Alistair Mawhinney told the Times: “It had been reported with good intentions, but it turned out to be two buoys from lobster pots.”

On this occasion, the lifeboat was launched at 5.04pm and was stood down at 5.38pm.