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View from a helicopter
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On a cold, dark December evening with winds gusting up to galeforce nine, the Portrush Lifeboats launched to participate in an intensive training exercise with Army Air Corps and RAF personnel. The exercise was designed to simulate sea survival and search conditions after an aircraft crash at sea.
Whilst most people would be sitting down to dinner the Portrush All Weather and Inshore Lifeboats under coxswain Willy McAuley led the recovery of eleven aviators who were cast adrift in single man life rafts off The Skerries (islands North of Portrush). Throughout this realistic simulation safety boats provided by the Royal Engineers in the form of a Mk2 Combat Support Boat and a Mk3 Rigid Raider Craft circled the "casualties". Overhead an Army Lynx from 655 Squadron and Rescue 177 Sea King from HMS Gannet monitored operations.
After more than three hours in the icy cold Atlantic, and having drifted eight miles towards Ballycastle, the Air Corps crewmembers were recovered by both Lifeboats and the Sea King helicopter. The relief on their faces was reminiscent of the hundreds of people that Portrush’s crewmen and women have assisted over the years.
The success of such a realistic and challenging exercise exemplifies the great teamwork and co-operation between the many agencies who are essential for any search and rescue mission.
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