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Last year Portrush Lifeboat Station was again the busiest in Ireland, a record not to be envied as most call-outs mean someone is in distress. James Heaney, Lifeboat Operations Manager comments: "I would like to pay tribute to the crew who turn out without fail whenever they are required, but most of all to the wives, partners and families who have to endure sleepless nights or being wakened up by a pager or a cold noisy crew member coming home in the early hours of the morning after a call-out."
The RNLI’s slogan is "Saving Lives at Sea" and it is very difficult for the crew and everyone involved when this is not achieved. While there have been many happy endings in 2004, sadly there have also been several occasions when lives were lost.
In March, a lengthy search for a male reported missing at Dunseverick was unsuccessful, to date that person is still missing. A young diver lost his life when he suffered from the bends at Rathlin in July. The dive vessel rushed two persons to Ballycastle to be transferred by helicopter to hospital while the lifeboat remained on the scene of the incident waiting for the other divers to surface. In June a more fortunate missing diver was found after a nine-hour search involving the lifeboat, two helicopters and many other vessels. He was discovered just north of Malin Head clinging to the buoy of a lobster pot.
In August the lifeboat assisted in the recovery of a body from Rathlin harbour after a Yachting accident, and in September attended a tragedy involving four young people on the cliffs at Dunluce Castle. Three had jumped into the sea, and could not climb out, one was not wearing a wet-suit. Both Portrush boats were launched. The ILB arrived on scene first and quickly recovered two youths from the water. These were suffering from hypothermia and were transferred to the ALB before the D-boat returned to the surf to continue the search. A young man was eventually recovered and transferred to the ALB where CPR was administered whilst returning to the harbour. The ILB remained on scene until a young female was lifted off the cliff by helicopter. Sadly the young man was declared DOA at Causeway Hospital.
A very lengthy search was carried out in October off Malin Head with Lough Swilly Lifeboat and several fishing boats, for a small fishing boat with one person onboard. The search lasted almost 24 hrs with both Lifeboats refueling in Greencastle and alternating rest periods. Unfortunately the fisherman's body was recovered as the search was about to be scaled down.
As well as a very active year for call-outs Portrush Station has seen a little history this year including the first all female crew on the ILB, the first married couple crewing the ILB and ALB, and now the first pregnant couple on the crew.
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