Kyle of Lochalsh RNLI called after walker becomes lost in the dark on Skye

Kyle lifeboat Spirit of Fred. Olsen launched at 9:00pm at the request of the UK Coastguard, after the walker called Police Scotland when she became disorientated whilst walking on the Kinloch Coast. The lifeboat made best speed towards the area and arrived on scene at 9:20pm and began a search. The lifeboat crew set off a white flare to illuminate the area, and managed to locate the woman who was signalling with a torch from a dense area of woodland a short distance from the shoreline.

The lifeboat put a crew member ashore who began walking towards the casualty’s location, however due to the very dense vegetation this took some time. By the time the crew member reached the casualty and confirmed she was uninjured, the local UK Coastguard teams had arrived on scene and the lifeboat crew member managed to walk the casualty to meet them.

Once the casualty was handed over to the UK Coastguard and Police Scotland teams at 10:10pm, the lifeboat departed the scene and returned to Kyle. The lifeboat was then refuelled and made ready for service by 10:50pm.

Speaking of the incident, a Kyle RNLI spokesperson said: ‘The walker knew the area where she was walking well and was equipped with a torch. When she became disorientated in an area of very thick woodland and realised she was lost and her mobile phone battery was almost flat, she did the correct thing and called the emergency services’.

Notes to editors:

• For further details on the Casualty, please contact Police Scotland or the UK Coastguard

RNLI media contacts:

Andrew MacDonald, Kyle of Lochalsh RNLI Volunteer Press Officer on 07748 707606 or [email protected]

Or Henry Weaver, RNLI Public Relations Manager Scotland, 01738 642946, 07771 943026, [email protected]

Or contact RNLI Public Relations on 01202 336789.

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