Author: Niamh Stephenson, Divisional Media Relations Manager

Volunteer lifeboat crew with Portaferry RNLI brought four kayakers to safety when they got into difficulty two miles south east of the entrance to Strangford Lough. The incident which took place on Thursday (16 February) occurred when one of the kayakers had capsized and was in the water when the lifeboat crew reached them.

A call for assistance was received at 11.51am to report that four male kayakers were in difficulty near the entrance to Strangford Lough. The lifeboat crew launched and were on scene in eighteen minutes. Conditions were reported as a force four and the sea state was choppy. The men were described as very cold but were wearing the proper clothing for their activity.

Commenting on the rescue Portaferry RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager Brian Baille said, “ This was a good result for the lifeboat crew. These four kayakers had the proper equipment but with the seas a bit choppy and one the group having been in the water after capsizing who was exhausted, the situation could have deteriorated quickly. The lifeboat crew recovered the four men onboard the lifeboat and brought them back to the slip in Portaferry. They then returned to recover the kayaks as they would represent a hazard on the water.”