In the driving wind and rain, they’d little hope of hearing any call from the person reported missing off Portstewart shortly before.
But in a momentary lull, one of the rescuers thought they heard a faint cry. They listened again.
Other crew members heard it too.
Against all odds, the person was eventually pulled from the waves and saved – another life owed to the RNLI which celebrates its bicentenary next year.
READ THE FULL STORY IN THIS MONTH’S MAGAZINE