Stricken lifeboat 'seriously damaged' off NI coast

A RNLI lifeboat driven on to rocks on an island off the North's coast during a rescue attempt in raging seas has suffered serious and extensive damage of its hull, it was confirmed today.

The Katie Hannon ended up on the rocks close to the harbour on Rathlin Island – seven miles off Ballycastle, Co Antrim – after going to the rescue of a fishing boat which got into trouble on Tuesday night.