The 118 Irish coastguard rescue helicopter which was involved in searches off the north Antrim coast two missing American tourists

THE PSNI helicopter and an Irish Coastguard copter were involved in weekend airlifts of stranded people.

Two American tourists were rescued from the north coast after they were stranded at Fair Head, Co Antrim, for several hours overnight.The two men, who are in their early 20s, were airlifted from a boulder field at just after 4 am on Monday morning.

They had been missing for just over 12 hours and the alarm was raised just after midnight after failed to return to their accommodation.

They were taken to hospital after suffering mild exposure and minor cuts and bruises.

The tourists had gone on a walking trip at West Torr, Cushendun around 9.15 am on Sunday were due to arrive in Ballycastle around 4 pm.

The PSNI contacted the coastguard, and two teams from Ballycastle, and a third from Coleraine, started a search.

The Sligo-based Irish Coastguard was also involved in the operation.

Liam Cahoon, watch manager at Belfast Coastguard, said winds had reached force four to five at the time.

“We’ve been quite lucky. The severe weather that is being experienced in many parts of the UK did not affect us last night, which made it a lot easier for the two guys.”

On Saturday, the PSNI Eurocopter rescued two boys who got stranded in a ditch on Black Mountain in Belfast.

A member of the crew helped pull them from the ditch before a PSNI patrol car took them home to their parents.