The RNLI is to open its first inland lifeboat station at Enniskillen in Northern Ireland on Thursday 24 May 2001. Enniskillen will become the 40th RNLI station in Ireland.

The charity operates 224 lifeboat stations around the coast of the UK and Republic of Ireland but will be making history when it moves inland to its first ever base away from the coast on Lough Erne.

The setting up of Enniskillen lifeboat station is part of a pilot scheme by the RNLI to extend its lifesaving skills by providing a rescue service on large expanses of inland waters. It is currently looking at other locations in the Lake District and on the Suffolk Broads.

Lough Erne Yacht Club is the base for the new Enniskillen station. The large stretch of water being covered extends across 50sq miles over two loughs that attract a high level of leisure activity including fishing, sailing, canoeing and over-the-water flying. At busy times over 600 people can be on the stretch of water each week.

Angus Watson, the RNLI's inland waters project manager says, 'This is an exciting moment in the history of the RNLI and for lifesaving in general', adding 'We already operate one of the best lifeboat services in the world and we feel this is an opportunity to extend our skills to an inland water where we can really make a difference and potentially save more lives.'

It is estimated that over 250 lives are lost each year around inland waters - more than around the coast - and there are several thousand more potentially life-threatening incidents as leisure usage increase each year.

An Atlantic 21 inshore lifeboat will serve the new lifeboat station initially but it may prove necessary to have additional resources on the lough in the long term.

Eighteen-lifeboat crew have been enrolled and trained ready for operation.

The RNLI saves lives at sea. Its vision is to be universally recognised as the most effective, innovative, and dependable lifeboat service.

Visit the RNLI's award-winning website at www.lifeboats.org.uk