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2019 |
Please
scroll downwards to find date of Service |
14 April 2019 @ 01:51
No.1
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Provisional information
Yacht reported by Belfast Coastguard to have
hit rocks at Rainey Island, Strangford Lough.
3 persons on board.
Portaferry Lifeboat launched on service and
proceeded to Rainey Island.
On arrival the lifeboat crew found that the
casualty vessel was clear of the rocks, and
after ascertaining that all on board were
safe, escorted the yacht and its crew to safety
onto a jetty at Strangford Lough Yacht Club.
Portaferry Lifeboat returned to Station at
0335.
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20 April 2019 @ 14:52
No.2
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Provisional information
Belfast CGOC received reports of a small
angling boat with engine failure near the
Fairway Buoy off the Strangford Narrows. 3
persons on board.
Portaferry Lifeboat launched on service and
proceeded to the casualty vessel's position.
On arrival on scene the lifeboat crew secured
a tow line to the vessel and took it under
tow to the Cooke Street quay at Portaferry
where 3 persons were landed to safety ashore
with the Portaferry Coastguard Rescue Team
in attendance.
Portaferry Lifeboat returned to station at
16:15
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26 April 2019 @ 17:05
No.3
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Provisional report
Report to Belfast CGOC of the possibility
of 3 persons in difficulty in a dinghy off
the shoreline near Mountstewart, Strangford
Lough.
Portaferry Lifeboat launched on service and
proceeded initially to Pig Island, Strangford
Lough and commenced a search of the sea area
and the shoreline.
Coastguard Rescue Helicopter R119 also tasked
and commenced an aerial search of the area.
Coastguard Rescue Teams tasked to search the
shoreline.
Following an extensive search nothing found
and all SAR services stood down.
Portaferry Lifeboat returned to station.
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12
May 2019 @ 17:30
No.4 |
Details
to follow |
14 May 2019 @ 22:10
No.5
|
Details
to follow |
19
May 2019 @ 17:34
No.6 |
Details
to follow |
22
May 2019 @ 20:54
No.7 |
Provisional information
25ft sailing vessel with one person on board
reported as missing by HM Coastguard. Believed
to be on passage from a last known position
off the Mull of Galloway to Galway, Republic
of Ireland.
Following a search by the Coastguard SAR
Helicopter Rescue 199 of the Solway Firth
and the north Irish Sea between the Mull of
Galloway and the Ards Peninsula the missing
vessel was located approximately 5NM east
of Portavogie, County Down, Northern Ireland.
Portaferry Lifeboat 'Blue Peter V'
launched on service at the request of Belfast
CGOC and made way to the casualty vessel position
which was located close to the South Rock.

Photo: Portaferry
RNLI
On arrival with the casualty vessel the lifeboat
crew firstly ascertianed that the person on
board did not require medical assistance.
It was established that the casualty vessel
had lost engine power and was unable to make
under sail way due to the light winds. The
SAR helicopter Rescue 199 was then stood down
and returned to base.

Photo: Portaferry
Coastguard Rescue Team
After the lifeboat crew had secured a tow
line to the casualty vessel it was taken under
tow to Portavogie harbour where 1 person was
landed to safety ashore and where a Portaferry
Coastguard Rescue Team was in attendance.
Portaferry Lifeboat returned to station
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28
May 2019 @ 18:46
Shout No.8 |
Request to launch Portaferry Lifeboat received
from Belfast CGOC following a report from
a fishing boat in a position approximately
21NM west of Peel, Isle of Man, that it was
rapidly taking water. 5 persons on board.
On board water pumps failing to cope.
Peel Lifeboat launched at 18:05 and Donaghadee
Lifeboat at 18:10 and proceeding to the casualty
vessel's position. Portaferry Lifeboat launched
at 18:46 to assist.
Donaghadee Lifeboat arrived with the casualty
vessel at 19:02 in fresh northerly F5 winds
with moderate sea conditions. On arrival with
the casualty vessel the crew had managed to
lower the water level using the vessel's own
water pumps and the skipper was content to
proceed towards the fishing port of Portavogie
on the east coast of Northern Ireland escorted
by Donaghadee Lifeboat.
Portaferry Lifeboat tasked to stand-by off
Portavogie to assist Donaghadee Lifeboat escorting
the casualty vessel into Portavogie harbour.
Peel Lifeboat had been previously stood down
and returned to station.

Photo credit:
Scott Hay
Following the safe arrival of the casualty
vessel into Portavogie harbour Donaghadee
and Portaferry lifeboats were stood down and
returned to their stations.
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26
July 2019 @ 19:37
Shout No.9 |
Portaferry Lifeboat launched at the request
of Belfast CGOC to assist in the search for
a high risk missing person in the Portaferry
area.
Portaferry and Bangor Coastguard Rescue
teams along tasked.
The missing person was located by PSNI safe
and well.
Portaferry LIfeboat returned to station
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2
August 2019 @ 19:10
Shout No.10 |
Portaferry Lifeboat launched at the request
of Belfast CGOC following the activation of
an EPIRB distress beacon indicating an approximate
distress position 2NM off-shore from Ballyhalbert,
County Down.
Donaghadee Lifeboat and HM Coastguard SAR
helicopter Rescue 116 tasked. Bangor and Portaferry
Coastguard rescue teams also tasked. Irish
Navy vessel LÉ CIARA offered assistance.
Following the commencment of an extensive
sea and land search by all the tasked services,
direction finding equipment aboard Rescue
116 assisted in locating the EPIRB signal
as emanating from an inland agricultural building.
On subsequent investigation the EPIRB
had been activated inadvertently.
All services stood down.
Portaferry Lifeboat returned to station at
21:05
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17
August 2019 @ 11:20
Shout No.11 |
Portaferry Lifeboat requested to launch by
Belfast CGOC following the receipt of an urgency
call (Pan Pan) from a 21ft yacht off Newtownards
Sailing Club which had engine difficulties
and was in danger of drifting ashore. 2 persons
on board.
Portaferry Lifeboat launched on service and
proceeded to the casualty vessel's position.
On arrival a tow line was secured to the yacht
by the lifeboat crew which was taken under
tow to nearby moorings.

Photo: Bangor
Coastguard Rescue Team
2 persons were subsequently
landed to safety ashore at Newtownards Sailing
Club where a Bangor Coastguard rescue team
were in attendance.
Portaferry Lifeboat returned
to station at 13:15.
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17
August 2019
Shout No.12 |
Following the return of the lifeboat to the
station the crew observed a 6m yacht that
appeared to be adrift and unable to make way
in the Strangford Narrows.
Portaferry Lifeboat launched on service and
assisted it taking the drifting yacht which
had one person on board to the safety of a
mooring in Castleward Bay.
Portaferry Lifeboat then remained in the
Strangford Narrows for the triathlon swim
between Strangford and Portaferry when the
crew monitored the safety of those participating
in the event.
Following the completion of the triathlon
Portaferry Lifeboat returned to station.
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21
August 2019 @ 12:58
Shout No.13 |
Portaferry Lifeboat launched on service following
a report of an apparently un-occupied dinghy
drifting in the Strangford Narrows on the
flood tide.
Dinghy located and taken by a local vessel
into Strangford village.
Portaferry Lifeboat returned to station.
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26
August 2019 @ 00:50
Shout No.14 |
Belfast CGOC requested the launch of Portaferry
Lifeboat following a request for assistance
from a 7m yacht aground at Roe Island Strangford
Lough. Two persons on board.
Portaferry Lifeboat launched on service and
proceeded to Roe Island.

On arrival with the casualty vessel at 01:18
the lifeboat crew assisted in taking the yacht
under tow to safer water where an anchor was
successfully deployed.
Portaferry Lifeboat returned to station at
01:44.
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31
August 2019 @ 15:35
Shout No.15 & 16 |
Portaferry Lifeboat launched on service following
a report that two racing yachts had capsizing
near Lee's Wreck in Strangford Lough.
On the arrival of the lifeboat on scene both
yachts had been righted by their crews and
all persons were safe aboard and no further
assistance was now required. It was
ascertained that both yachts had capsized
and others had been in difficulty during a
sudden and severe squall.
Following the release from this incident
Belfast CGOC requested the lifeboat to proceed
to the aid of a 36ft yacht which was in difficulty
after running aground off Don O'Neill Island.
Newcastle all weather lifeboat had previously
been launched to assist but was stood down
whilst on passage shortly after Portaferry
Lifeboat arrived with the casualty vessel.
Portaferry Lifeboat returned to station at
16:40
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1 Sept 2019 @ 15:00
Shout No.17
|
Portaferry Lifeboat launched on service at
the request of Belfast CGOC following receipt
of a report that a small 6m motor boat was
aground at Marlfield Bay. 2 adults and 3 children
on board.
Whilst the lifeboat was on passage another
boat in the area had taken the casualty vessel
under tow and both vessels were escorted by
the lifeboat into Portaferry Marina.
Portaferry Lifeboat returned to station at
16:00.
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23
October 2019 @ 05:28
Shout No.18 |
Newcastle and Portaferry Lifeboats requested
to launch by Belfast CGOC following a Mayday
call from a 24 metre fishing vessel with 5
persons on board that was drifting towards
Phennick Point after loosing engine power.
Irish Coast Guard SAR Helicopter Rescue 116
tasked. Newcastle and Portaferry Coastguard
rescue teams also tasked.
Whilst both lifeboats were on passage the
fishing vessel grounded on rocks in rough
weather and was starting to take on water.
Portaferry Lifeboat arrived on scene at 06:03
followed by Newcastle Lifeboat at 06:25 when
attempts were made to tow the fishing boat
off the rocks. Irish Coast Guard rescue
helicopter Rescue 116 had been tasked to provide
water pumps for use by the casualty vessel.
Due to worsening sea conditions the fishing
boat was driven further onto the rocks and
attempts by the lifeboats to refloat the vessel
were unsuccessful.

Photo: Ciara
Van Vogt
Due to the imminent danger of the vessel
sinking it was decided to task Rescue 116
to airlift the 5 crew members off the fishing
boat.

Photo: Ciara
Van Vogt
Following the successful
airlifting of the fishing boat's crew to safety
ashore Newcastle and Portaferry lifeboats
were stood down and returned to their stations.
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26 Nov 2019 @ 13:26
Shout
No 19
|
Portaferry Lifeboat launched on service at
the request of Belfast CGOC following a report
of 3 workmen stranded on Trasnagh Island,
Strangford Lough, in deteriorating weather
conditions and unable to return safely ashore
in their small boat..
On arrival of the lifeboat at Trasnagh Island
the 3 workmen were taken on board and transferred
to safety ashore at Whiterock where local
coastguards were in attendance.
Portaferry Lifeboat returned to station
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