Training exercise escalates into medical incident with open water swimmers.
The volunteer crew of the Tobermory Severn Class Lifeboat ‘Elizabeth Fairlie Ramsay’ set off for a weekend training exercise in the Isle Mull. By the afternoon, they have assisted two open water swimmers at Lochaline.
It was intended to be a routine training exercise combined with showing a presence for the open water swim from Fishnish on the Isle of Mull to Lochaline on mainland Scotland.
As the crew departed Tobermory and made their way south down the Sound of Mull to Lochaline all was going as planned. The swimmers and the safety craft were spotted as we were just north of Lochaline. Passing safely around the last of the safety kayaks and onto the wood pier at Lochaline.
Whilst alongside we watched the hardy group passing the Lifeboat to complete the 2.4KM swim across the Sound of mull. One of the safety craft approached and informed they had a swimmer who had succumbed to the cold and requested our assistance.
The swimmer was taken on board the Tobermory lifeboat where the volunteer crew carried out casualty care, as the crew continued to treat the swimmer a second swimmer was also taken on board again having succumbed to the cold. Stornoway coastguard tasked the Scottish ambulance service to the scene.
One the Scottish ambulance service arrived the two swimmers were handed over to their care, and the Tobermory Lifeboat and volunteer crew returned to the berth in Tobermory harbour.
RNLI media contacts:
Michael Stirling, Tobermory Lifeboat Press Officer on 07921 515686, [email protected] or [email protected] boat Press Officer on 07921 515686, [email protected] or [email protected]
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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