TRIBUTES have been paid to the mechanic of the RNLI Portrush lifeboat who saved the lives of two teenage boys by swimming into a sea cave off the Antrim coast.
The Sligo-based Irish Coast Guard helicopter also assisted, in the latest in a series of cross-Border rescues effected by the State’s air/sea rescue service.
RNLI mechanic Anthony Chambers, who works with the Portrush all-weather lifeboat, volunteered to swim into the sea cave in the Castlerock-Downhill area on Wednesday evening where the two boys were trapped.
The lifeboat mechanic had to make two journeys, swimming in with lifejackets and guiding the boys back out in a very heavy swell. Both were slightly hypothermic when winched on board the Sligo Sikorsky helicopter, but were otherwise fine when checked out in Coleraine hospital.
The tide was rising and breaking over the boys’ heads when Mr Chambers reached them, said the RNLI. They were wearing only shorts and T-shirts.
"You can never tell with sea caves, as wave action can wash you up against rocks with terrific force, so it was a very brave move," Irish Coast Guard helicopter winchman Tommy Gannon told The Irish Times.
The alert was raised when the rescue services received a call from Belfast Coastguard, following reports of two missing youths near the caves.
Members of the Coleraine Coast Guard cliff rescue team searched the cliff area and heard voices coming from one of the caves.
The Portrush inshore lifeboat attempted to enter, but the swell was too severe, and it was also inaccessible to the helicopter winch crew because of the configuration of the cliff face.
Mr Chambers, who was on the all-weather lifeboat, volunteered to swim in.
He managed to reach the boys, put a lifejacket on one and brought him to the entrance of the cave where the inshore lifeboat was waiting.
He then returned with another lifejacket and brought the second boy to safety.
Both boys were transferred from the inshore lifeboat on to the all-weather lifeboat, where they were winched on to the Irish Coast Guard helicopter for transfer to hospital.
RNLI Portrush lifeboat operations manager Robin Cardwell said that the boys were very lucky.
“Anthony is from a very strong lifeboating tradition and he knows the dangers of the sea very well,” Mr Cardwell said, paying tribute to all involved.
The rescue was the latest in a series of alerts across the Border involving the Irish Coast Guard’s air/sea rescue service.