Training Exercise Turns into Real Rescue for Dunbar Volunteers
A training exercise turned into the real thing for Dunbar lifeboat volunteer crew when a yacht became stuck on rocks last night (Thursday).
The crew of Dunbar’s inshore lifeboat (ILB) had launched for training when it was diverted to the entrance of the town’s harbour where the yacht, with one person on board, was stuck.
With an ebbing tide and low water at 9.28pm, the volunteer crew reacted quickly, connecting a towrope to the masthead before pulling the yacht onto its starboard side to reduce the draught of the vessel.
They eventually managed to get the yacht off the rocks and helped it safely anchor outside the harbour.
The incident was a timely reminder for any yacht crew visiting new harbours to always check the tide times and use an up-to-date almanac.
RNLI Media Contacts: Douglas Wight, volunteer lifeboat press officer at Dunbar, 07889920780Key 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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