Village lifeboat base for refit

The Red Bay station is to get an Atlantic 85 lifeboat

The lifeboat station in Red Bay on the coast of north Antrim is to be refitted to house a bigger lifeboat.

There has been a lifeboat in Cushendall since 1972 and it currently houses a B class Atlantic 75 lifeboat, but it is due to get a new Atlantic 85 lifeboat.

Work is to start on the doors of the station before Christmas to widen them to cope with the bigger vessel, which can carry a fourth crewmember.

The 85 also has radar capability and is faster with a top speed of 35 knots.

There is also more room for casualties.

The RNLI said it would mean lifeboat coverage along north Antrim was continuous with the flanking lifeboat stations at Portrush and Larne.

Deputy Divisional Inspector Gareth Morrison said the new boat was an important part of an upgrade of RNLI lifeboat coverage in Northern Ireland.

"Work is currently under way in Portaferry building a new lifeboat station to take a new Atlantic 85 and over the last couple of years we have upgraded our lifeboats at Bangor and Kilkeel," he said.

The current Red Bay lifeboat went on service in 1996.

Volunteer lifeboat helmsman Paddy McLaughlin said the new class of boat would help in their work.

"The inshore lifeboat fleet carry out most of the rescues in the RNLI as their size and speed mean they can go into areas that many other vessels can't reach," he said.

"Red Bay launched 22 times so far this year. The Moyle area remains a very popular spot with tourists. We never know when we will receive our next callout."