Further attempts will be made today to recover a lifeboat that was swept onto rocks off Rathlin Island on Tuesday night.
Rough seas and warnings of storm force gales later this afternoon have delayed attempts to re-float the Portrush Lifeboat, which is stranded on rocks at Rathlin Island.
RNLI Ireland officials said the vessel had shifted slightly overnight but insisted the risk of a diesel leak at this stage was low.
Spokeswoman Niamh Stephenson said: "The weather is deteriorating and there is no question of us going out at the moment."
The Portrush lifeboat was thrown on to the rocks by a huge wave as its crew attended an emergency call from a rib boat. No one was injured, and the people aboard the rib boat were taken to safety by Rathlin Coastguard.
Attempts by a tugboat from Derry and local fishermen to free the €3 million lifeboat failed yesterday.
Plans to try and get it back into deep water using some form of buoyancy are now being considered by a rescue team at Ballycastle, but it could be some time before they get near the vessel.