Kyle of Lochalsh RNLI assist ferry aground & receive a visit from the Chairman

A few days later, the lifeboat crew were paged at the request of Stornoway Coastguard, to assist the Glenelg Ferry Glenachulish which had ran aground with the extremely low tide.  The lifeboat launched at 1:29pm on Thursday afternoon and made best speed towards Glenelg, arriving on scene at 1:34pm by which time the 10 passengers and crew had safely made it to shore.  The lifeboat crew spoke to the skipper of the ferry and confirmed that no one was injured and no assistance was needed at the present time. As it would some time before the ferry would re-float on the incoming tide, the lifeboat was stood down by Stornoway Coastguard and returned to station at 2:35pm.  Approximately 1 hour later the lifeboat was called out again as the Glenachulish was beginning to re-float.  The lifeboat returned to Glenelg, by which time the crew of the ferry had successfully freed the boat and were alongside the pier.  After confirmation that the ferry was undamaged and there was no assistance required, the lifeboat was stood down and returned to station.

Speaking of the incident, one of the crew said: ‘With the extremely low tidal conditions, the ferry had ran aground close to the Glenelg pier, however the ferry crew had safely gotten everyone ashore by the time we arrived on scene. We then returned to Glenelg when the ferry was re-floating just to make sure everything went well, but the experienced ferry crew had everything under control and didn’t require any assistance’.

Notes to editors:

• There are 3 pictures attached, 2 showing the Glenelg ferry aground & the other showing some of the crew with the RNLI Chairman
• Please credit the pictures to Kyle RNLI

RNLI media contacts:

Andrew MacDonald, Kyle of Lochalsh RNLI Volunteer Press Officer on 07748 707606 or [email protected]

Or Richard Smith, Public Relations Manager Scotland on 01738 642956, 07786 668903 or [email protected]

Or Henry Weaver, RNLI Press Officer for Scotland, 01738 642946, 07771 943026, [email protected]

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The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.

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