Search for missing kayaker Dominic Jackson - operational notes
Macduff RNLI launched on service at the request of HM Coastguard to search for missing kayaker Dominic Jackson at 00:05am on Monday 6 February.
On launch, the crew of four were tasked with performing an inshore coastal search from Bow Fiddle Rock at Portknockie in the west across to Pennan in the east, making the inshore search area some 20 nautical miles in length.
As lifeboat Lydia Macdonald made its way to Portknockie searching the coast, the launch crew of five, travelled by road to Portsoy to liaise with the Coastguard incident commander. On arrival the launch crew were given a coastal search area from Whitehills to Banff. The launch crew split in to two groups and performed a walking search of the coastline between Whitehills and Banff.
Buckie lifeboat was launched at the request of the Coastguard to assist with the search working the same area as Macduff lifeboat but 1 mile out to sea.
On completion of the inshore coastline search the Macduff and Buckie lifeboats continued to search between Portknockie and Pennan, moving further offshore on each leg, this continued until they were up to six miles off Macduff.
Fraserburgh lifeboat was requested to join the search at 3:30am, they were tasked with making an inshore search for the missing kayaker from Fraserburgh to Pennan.
Lifeboats were stood down by the Coastguard at around 5:20am and returned to their respective stations for refuelling.
At 8:45am the Macduff lifeboat was requested to launch a second time and was tasked to do an inshore search from Macduff to Portsoy. On arrival at Portsoy the crew were asked to continue along the coast until they met the Buckie lifeboat which had been tasked to search east from Buckie. The boats met at Sandend ensuring that the coast from Buckie to Macduff had been closely searched for Dominic Jackson.
Macduff lifeboat was then tasked to return to Macduff and search east until it met the Fraserburgh lifeboat which had been launched and tasked with searching west from Fraserburgh. Macduff and Fraserburgh lifeboats met to the east of Pennan, ensuring that the coast from Macduff to Fraserburgh had also been closely searched.
Macduff lifeboat was then tasked to head from its location east of Pennan to Portsoy where they were to perform a close inshore search from Portsoy to Buckie. The crew called in a Macduff to take on fuel, swap one crew member and pick up food before heading to Portsoy to carry out the requested search.
In the meantime, Buckie and Fraserburgh lifeboats were working together carrying out offshore search patterns as requested by the coastguard who were continually reviewing tide and wind data to update the search areas. Both lifeboats worked up to 12 miles off the coast between Gardenstown and Portsoy.
All lifeboats continued to search for Dominic until last light when they were stood down and returned to their respective stations to refuel and be ready for service.
Macduff lifeboat spent over 13 hours at sea searching the coast between Buckie and Pennan.
Notes for editors
- RNLI Macduff lifeboat Lydia Macdonald is a B class Atlantic 85 which carries 4 crew.
- Lydia Macdonald is unique within the RNLI being the only lifeboat that is launched from a mobile crane. This method of launch allows the lifeboat to be launched from other locations should the need arise.
RNLI media contacts:
Mike Rawlins, Macduff RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer on 07720 288366 [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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