Two people were rescued from a yacht in Strangford Lough after the vessel caught fire.
The 35ft yacht had lost engine power and a call to the RNLI had been made when a blaze was discovered.
The incident “escalated quickly” on Saturday evening, and the two yacht sailors were brought to safety before the vessel was monitored to ensure it did not present a danger to other boats in the area.
Portaferry RNLI Lifeboat helm Scott Blackwood led the rescue, and arrived with colleagues at the yacht’s location around a mile north of the Fairway Buoy at Strangford Lough shortly after 5.30pm.
The team noticed a “strong burning smell” before spotting flames in the cabin area of the yacht.
“When we arrived on scene and boarded the vessel, we acted quickly to get the casualties off the yacht,” Mr Blackwood said.
“Once they had been returned to shore, our concern was the burning yacht being a danger to other vessels in the area and we stayed on scene until the risk was minimal.
“The yacht crew did the right thing in asking for assistance as soon as they had a problem with the engine. The situation escalated quickly and we were there to bring them to safely because they had a means of calling for help and made the call early.”
Portaferry RNLI Lifeboat operations manager Heather Kennedy added: “The swift reactions of all our crew, both onboard and ashore, led to a happier and safer outcome than might have been.
“We urge boat users to check the weather and tides before venturing out. Always wear a lifejacket or suitable personal flotation device for your activity and always carry a means of calling for help. Should you get into difficulty or see someone else in trouble, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.”
