Kilkeel coastguard

04/08/2026

03:08:2026 at 22:18 the team was tasked along with their flank team Newcastle Coastguard and Kilkeel RNLI to assist the PSNI in a search for a high risk missing male.
Air support was requested and in heavy rain and challenging conditions an extensive search was carried out.
The male was located very wet but otherwise unharmed and taken back to his home for further assessment.
Belfast Coastguard co ordinated the incident.

25/07/2026

Saturday 22nd August Kilkeel’s new Shannon class lifeboat will be officially named

The naming ceremony for the new Kilkeel Shannon lifeboat will start at 2pm on 22nd August at Kilkeel Harbour.
The crew are greatly looking forward to the ceremony and all are very welcome!

21/07/2026

A busy weekend for the team.

Saturday 18th July

1. Team tasked to assist RNLI Lifeguards with an elderly gentleman who had fallen resulting in considerable head injuries - casualty patched up and taken to hospital by family.

2. Team tasked to reports of 2 kids being blown out to sea at Newcastle beach - stood down as arriving, casualties had been rescued by our colleagues at Newcastle RNLI.

3. Team tasked to reports of a casualty requiring medical assistance on Tyrella beach with a suspected broken collar bone - stood down as arriving, casualty had been triaged by NIAS and proceeded to hospital before our arrival.

4. Team tasked late on Saturday night to reports of 2 casualties - one with cuts to lower legs on Newcastle beach, the second was on the rocks. Both casualties were recovered from the beach by the team and transported to Newcastle Coastguard station awaiting further transport.

Sunday 19th July

5. Team tasked at 0935hrs to reports of a fishing vessel aground close to the entrance of Carlingford lough. The team arrived on scene, made contact with the owner who was on the vessel and in no immediate danger. The team stood by as requested by Belfast Coastguard until the boat refloated.

6. Team tasked at 1745hrs to assist RNLI Lifeguards with concerns with kayakers. Team made contact with kayakers who were not aware they were in danger - with no buoyancy aids worn, safety advice was issued.

7. Team tasked at 2044hrs to reports of an elederly male casualty who had sustained a head injury in Warrenpoint. Team was stood down as arriving on scene.

16/07/2026

At 1642 hours on July 14th, the team were tasked to assist the RNLI Lifeguards at Cranfield with a casualty who had fallen and suffered a head injury. The team assisted with comms between Belfast Coastguard and the RNLI Lifeguards along with assisting with a medical assessment with the Lifeguards having the situation under control. The team assisted with a handover to NIAS. Kilkeel RNLI had been requested to travel by road to provide further oxygen supplies.

At 1607 hours on July 16th, the team were tasked to reports of a broken down jetski in Carlingford Lough with an unknown location. With team members already on scene a request was made for Kilkeel RNLI due to their being 4 paddle boards and the stricken vessel within / bordering the shipping lanes.

A member of the public on a Jetski assisted with bringing to shore the Lifeguards along with some of the casualties with Kilkeel Lifeboat and a charter boat recovering the remaining casualty and Discovery taking the jetski under tow to Carlingford.

We would like to thank our colleagues in the RNLI Lifeguards and the public for their assistance in both incidents.

Library Photo

07/07/2026

At 1839hrs on July 7th the team were tasked to reports of a capsized dinghy adrift off Newcastle promenade.

The team arrived on scene and liased with the first informant.

With callsigns from Newcastle Coastguard searching the shoreline, Kilkeel CRT set up an incident command post on the central promenade.

With the first informant on hand and Newcastle RNLI completing a thorough search of the area after recovering a small inflatable dinghy, a member of the public approached the team confirming that they were the owners and all was safe and well.

Kilkeel CRT relayed with Belfast Coastguard and Newcastle ILB the information at hand and requested that the lifeboat bring the dinghy ashore to positively ID the casualty vessel! 😊

With everyone confirmed safe and well the team were joined with Newcastle CRT for a well deserved ice cream compliments of Morellis Ice Cream Newcastle for a well deserved stand down.

Library photo.

24/06/2026

At 2341hrs on June 21st the team were tasked to reports of a missing person in Warrepoint.

The team responded, while enroute the OIC requested Kilkeel RNLI, Newcastle Coastguard and Greenore Coast Guard to provide support due to the unknown nature of the call.

When on scene search teams were deployed along with Police Newry, Mourne & Down.

The welcome news came through that the missing person was located outside of our search area.

At 2219hrs on June 23rd the team were tasked to reports of a missing person in the Dunavil area of Kilkeel.

Kilkeel RNLI along with Newcastle and Greenore Coastguard teams were requested to support in the search. A fixed wing Police aircraft was also in the area supporting.

A search team located, brought the person to an area of safety and handed into the care of Police.

A great team effort.

We are asking the public to act responsibly and refrain from sharing rumors or speculative posts regarding this matter. This typically is the best way to support our community.

Library photo.

21/06/2026

Kilkeel and Newcastle Coastguard Teams spent the weekend undertaking an intensive CPD Rope Technician course, led by our Search and Rescue Coastguard Operations Officer (SCOO), Ed.

The weather certainly played its part, providing ideal conditions and helping to make the weekend a huge success.

Following this challenging training programme, and with a further couple of months of team-led development ahead, we look forward to welcoming four new Rope Technicians into the team.

Their qualification will further strengthen our recently upgraded full rope rescue team status, enhancing our capability to respond safely and effectively in challenging coastal and cliff rescue environments.

A huge thank you to Ed for delivering the course and to all team members for their commitment, enthusiasm and professionalism throughout the weekend.

We were joined by our colleague Chris from Coleraine Coastguard, colleagues Colin and Lena from NIMRT - we thoroughly enjoyed welcoming the guys down into South Down.

As always a huge thank you to Dave our rescue dummy - the most faithful member of our team - thanks Dave.

Thank you to David Campbell owner of the Antares fishing vessel for allowing us access to train.

Lastly a cameo role for Kilkeel RNLI providing a backdrop for our cliff exercise today.

06/06/2026

At 2357hrs on Friday June 5th the team were tasked along with our flank station Newcastle Coastguard to reports of a boat aground with 1 person on board at St John’s lighthouse.

As we arrived on scene Belfast Coastguard had made us aware that there were in fact two vessels travelling together in distress.

A search of the area was out launched by land and by sea with both Kilkeel and Newcastle Lifeboats.

Newcastle Lifeboat located the first casualty vessel, taking the casualty back to Newcastle boathouse where shore supported by CRT’s carried out casualty care before handing over to NIAS.

Meanwhile, Kilkeel Lifeboat successfully located the second casualty vessel, east of St John’s lighthouse, assumed tow and towed the vessel back to Kilkeel harbour after a lengthy tow in, while providing casualty careWe would like to congratulate all teams tonight and a special mention to the crew of Kilkeel Lifeboat on their first Official shout from goong online with their new Shannon Class Lifeboat.

The team stood down at 0512hrs and returned to base.

27/05/2026

Please be careful around water in the heat wave. Water is a killer and doesn’t have any sympathy.
If you see anyone in difficulties on the water no matter where dial 999.
Try to get the person/s to lie on there back and float.
If you can load what 3 words on your phone and hopefully you can share your exact location to the emergency services which will speed up a response to your location
What3Words https://share.google/rTO5equrRqWR7dcGn

The deaths prompted the RNLI to warn of the "very real risk" of swimming in open water - as Tuesday saw the hottest ever May day recorded.

21/05/2026

The team were tasked this morning by Belfast Coastguard to support our colleagues Police Newry, Mourne & Down with an ongoing incident in Kilkeel.

There will be no further details.

Thoughts are with all those involved.

Library Photo