North Berwick volunteers launched to windsurfing board
North Berwick RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew were launched to carry out a search for a lone windsurfer board four miles north west of North Berwick on Friday 5 August.
At 2.17pm on Friday 5 August the Evelyn M from North Berwick RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) was launched to a report that a windsurfing board was floating in the sea, four miles off the coast.
The volunteer crew arrived on scene at 2.37pm and quickly located the board. An initial search of the area found nothing. The coastguard coordinating the search also launched Dunbar lifeboat, Kinghorn lifeboat and Rescue helicopter 999. A thorough search of the area was carried out again with a negative result.
North Berwick was stood down and returned to station at 6.20pm. This was four hours after it was launched.
The Lifeboat press officer Rhona Meikle said: “The board did not have a sail with it and it appeared old, however all reports are always treated seriously. In order to search the area completely, lifeboats from Dunbar, Kinghorn and North Berwick were used along with the rescue helicopter.
‘When the volunteers’ pagers go off they never know how long they will be out on the water. The RNLI is a charity that is completely funded by donations from the public. Today has shown how valuable this funding is, enabling a multiple station response when required.”
RNLI media contacts: Rhona Meikle, volunteer lifeboat press officer at North Berwick, 07767 251023, [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]
Or contact RNLI Public Relations on 01202 336789.
Key facts about the RNLI
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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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
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