Lough Neagh Rescue began following the tragic drowning of David Gray jnr on the 4th July 1989 whilst on passage home from Ballyronan Marina with three friends. That night there was no lifeboat service to mount an effective search and rescue mission, although local people did manage to locate David,s three friends before they succumbed to the cold from having spent five hours in the water. The provision of a lifeboat service became David Gray senior's mission, and to progress this he enlisted the help of two of the three men who assisted in the search for his son that night, and for the next 12 years they would help to construct the lifeboat service that we have today.

David's first job was to raise the funds necessary to put the first boat on the Lough and from his own savings and with the help of Craigavon Borough Council he raised the £ 20,000 needed to supply the Lifeboat which was named "Bungy" in memory of his son.

During May 1990 HM Coastguard Belfast erected a new aerial on Black Mountain to give VHF cover to Lough Neagh. This historic development meant that all users of the lough would have the same protection as people on the Irish Sea. Lough Neagh Rescue and HM Coastguard have worked closely over the last 11 years for the care of those using Lough Neagh.

Being in Lough Neagh Rescue in the early days was difficult to say the least, the crew had basic waterproofs and lifejackets to man the boats, some have even confessed to wearing women's tights to keep out the cold. It was soon acknowledged that this situation could not continue and the hunt for money to properly equip the crew was on.