Lifeboatmen save people and livestock from flooded towns In the early hours of 18 October 1990 the towns of Ballycastle and nearby Cushendall in Co. Antrim were badly flooded, and Red Bay lifeboat station and two of the Crew Members at nearby Portrush have received framed letters of thanks from the RNLI's Chairman as a result of their actions in helping to rescue and evacuate people in the town.At about 0500 on 18 October 1990 Ballycastle was under severe threat from rising flood water and Fire Brigade Headquarters asked for help in evacuating people stranded in the area. Portrush lifeboat, the Arun class Richard Evans (Civil Service No.

39), was launched at 0535 and the Coastguard advised that the station's Y boat would be required on arrival at the scene.

Coxswain Robert McMullan took the lifeboat to Ballycastle and on the way it became clear, via the Coastguard, that a large number of people had been stranded as the River Tow burst its banks.

Flooding Meanwhile it had become apparent that similar flooding had occurred at Cushendall where the Red Bay inshore lifeboat is stationed and all the crew assembled at the lifeboat station. They decided not to use their C class inshore lifeboat due to its weight andthe difficulty of manoeuvring and lifting her over obstacles in the flood water, so two 16ft open boats were obtained from Red Bay Boats. The lifeboat crew split into two groups, teamed with crews from the Fire Brigade and began systematically searching the flooded area of Cushendall, checking every property and car. In most places the water was waist deep, but in some areas along the riverside the floods reached 10ft.

At 0630 one of the boats went about a mile up river to a family which was cut off and trapped inside a bungalow with floodwater running fast 4ft deep through their kitchen.

The family was taken out through a window and carried to high ground and safety.

Meanwhile the main search party was still at Cushendall, searching each house and property.

Stranded At Ballycastle the Portrush lifeboat had arrived in the bay at 0700, and the Y boat launched with Crew Members Trevor McMullen and Trevor Creelman aboard. She came ashore near Ballycastle Quay and was asked to help people stranded in the central part of the town, approximately a mile inland.

The Y boat and crew members were taken by lorry to the area.

Crewmen McMullen and Creelman manoeuvred the boat from house to house in varying depths of water, up to 8ft in places, with underwater obstructions making the going difficult. The boat's engine could not be used and she had to be paddled, sculled, pushed and pulled through the floods. In two hours they ferried 22 people to high ground and to safety, and at 0900 they were released to return to the Portrush lifeboat which was still lying in Ballycastle Bay.

Floodwater The Red Bay crew were still in action at Cushendall. At 1030 two crew and one of the 16ft boats were despatched by road to assist a farmer near Glangariff some four miles away. The boat was launched into the floodwater to lift livestock (mainly sheep) to safety. Then, at 1045, three crew members with a small inflatable were again sent by road to help in the flood relief work at Ballycastle, where the flood waters had still not receded and the situation was still critical.

They helped to bring six more people to safety in the town of Ballycastle.

Cushendall police requested further assistance in the Glengariff area at 1345 where more livestock had become cut off by the flood waters. Five lifeboat crew were despatched to the scene with one of the 16ft boats and 14 sheep were brought to safety.

By 1600 the flood waters had receded sufficiently to declare the emergency over, and all inhabitants of the Cushendall area were accounted for..