
Islay volunteers rescue six people on board yacht
Islay RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew rescued six people, including two children,whose yacht had run onto a charted rock on an ebb tide at the south end of the Sound of Islay.
Her captain chose to stay on board the heavily listing, 16m sailing boat Anjela.
The all-weather lifeboat Helmut Schroder of Dunlossit 11 was launched 18 minutes past midnight on Tuesday 25 July in a medium wind, fair visibility and a relatively calm sea and reached the yacht 20 minutes later to find that she was listing heavily to port.
It was decided to evacuate all personnel by the lifeboat's smaller Yboat, except for the captain who wished to stay aboard,and take them back to Port Askaig until the tide should turn and rise enough to re-float the yacht.
At about 5.30am she floated off the rock, un-holed,and made her way safely back to Port Askaig escorted by the lifeboat.Afterwards her crew said how impressed they were by the help, care and attention that they had received from the RNLI volunteers.
RNLI media contacts: Heather Dewar, RNLI volunteer lifeboat press officer at Islay, on 01496 840600 (H) and Islay lifeboat station on 01496 840608, email [email protected]
Or Richard Smith, RNLI 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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