Emergency services stage major incident training exercise at Lough Neagh

Emergency services have carried out a large-scale training exercise in the Lough Neagh area of Antrim this morning (Saturday, 29 November), testing their readiness to respond collaboratively in the event of a major incident.

The operation brought together multiple agencies, including the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Air Support Unit, Lough Neagh Rescue Team and the Northern Ireland Coast Guard.

According to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), the exercise has been “a number of months in the planning” and aims to strengthen cross-agency preparedness and coordination.

A PSNI spokesperson said the exercise was designed “to test the preparedness, response and collaborative working between a number of teams in the event of a major incident.”

Simulated emergency exercises of this type are held periodically to ensure crews are ready to respond swiftly and effectively to real-life incidents on or around Lough Neagh, and further afield.

Local residents may have noticed increased emergency services activity in the area during the morning, including aircraft movements and water-based operations. Officials emphasised that there is no risk to the public, and that such training is a crucial part of maintaining operational capability.