03/06/2026
Donaghadee Lifeboat volunteers were launched yesterday afternoon Tuesday 02 June, after reports of a man struggling in the water in Donaghadee harbour.
The crew were paged at 3.46pm on Tuesday 02 June by HM Coastguard after they received a call from a member of the public who had noticed a dingy adrift and a man struggling in the water and holding on to a boat. This member of the public was able to also alert a local fishing boat and with the skipper tried to retrieve the casualty but unfortunately were unable to do so.
The senior station technician Iain Kaleda was already in the Trent class lifeboat Macquarie doing routine maintenance when the pagers were activated, enabling the crew to be on scene quickly in the smaller boarding boat and to retrieve the casualty to the safety of the harbour itself.
Casualty care was administered immediately by crew members Chris Stewart and John Petrie, who were able to ascertain that the gentleman was suffering from the effects of cold-water immersion but was otherwise alert. He was accompanied into the warmth of the lifeboat station, where further casualty care was provided to help warm him and check for any other injuries, support and advice was also offered by the Coastguard Rescue Team. The gentleman was in good spirits, declined any further medical attention, and was happy to return home independently.
Following the call out Senior Station Technician Iain Kaleda commented ‘ We are all very relieved to have been able to help this gentleman so quickly and that he wasn’t in the water for an extended length of time. I must also commend the member of the public who spotted the casualty,also the local boat owner whom jointly attempted to recover the casualty, the acted correctly and swiftly. As always we do recommend wearing a lifejacket at all times when you are in and around a boat on the water. Thankfully a successful outcome.’
