It is no exaggeration to say that deaths could follow as a direct result of the thoughtless actions of the vandals who put Belfast's dedicated lifeboat out of action by removing part of its steering system.
Voluntary organisation Lagan Search and Rescue has said that its normal operations may not return for two weeks, with temporary cover provided in the meantime by another vessel based in Bangor.
The additional 15 minutes it will take the back-up crew to get to the city after an alert is raised may well prove fatal to anyone who ends up in the water during sub-zero winter conditions.
It is surely not too much to ask that all our emergency services should be able to carry out their vital work without being targeted by moronic elements on the fringe of our society.
