WIND SURFER RESCUED IN TREACHEROUS CONDITIONS

Sunday, November 23, 2008
Posted 16:30 GMT

At just after 2.00 pm this afternoon, Belfast Coastguard were alerted by a member of the public that he could see from his viewpoint in the car park of the Royal Court Hotel at Portrush a windsurfer being blown off his board in the east and towards rocks. He was described as having a red and yellow sailboard and a dark wet suit.

The first informant described the windsurfer as struggling against very large seas and strong winds and being unable to get himself to safety.

Diana Gadd, Belfast Coastguard Watch Manager said

There were two windsurfers initially but one managed to get himself ashore and look for his missing companion. The coastline along the Dunluce road is very picturesque but in bad weather can be extremely hostile to anyone caught out. Due to the severity of the weather and how close inshore the windsurfer had become it was inappropriate at the time to request the launch of a lifeboat.

The winds and weather in the area currently are north westerly force 9.

The Coastguard Rescue Team at Portrush were immediately sent to the area and the Irish Coast Guard helicopter was requested from the Coastguard at Malin Head.

Diana Gadd continued

A Coastguard team was sent to the hotel to get a visual check on the struggling windsurfer and make contact with the first informant who had gone to Whiterocks beach. They were not able to see him. It was also reported back to us in the Operations Room at Bangor that the sea was all white and foaming all along the rocks edge and that in treacherous conditions extra hands were needed to search for the now missing man.

Additional information was gained which described the missing man as from Ballycastle and experienced in surfing having won an amateur championship.

We deployed more teams to the area and also informed the local Police as passing motorists had begun to stop and watch the Coastguard activity. A cliff man was then put into a harness and put over the edge of the cliff in the extreme conditions to see whether they could see the missing surfer, and by 3.20 this afternoon he had been spotted at the base of the cliff. To our team he seemed secure and we then arranged for an ambulance to the cliff top for his eventual rescue by helicopter.

By 3.45 the man had been winched away from the rocks and was landed at the car park behind the hotel from where the initial call had been made. He did not require medical attention but had minor cuts and bruises.

Diana Gadd finished by saying

This was a fantastic rescue by our teams in the most horrendous of conditions today. We would like to thank all of the rescue units who attended today, and again warn anyone to take heed of the prevailing conditions and the forecast in these winter months.

For further details contact:
The Maritime & Coastguard Agency Press Office
023 8032 9401