RNLI Invergordon tasked to Multi Agency Mayday Search

The RNLI Invergordon lifeboat crew were paged at 6.55pm, launching their Trent Class lifeboat, 'Douglas Aikman Smith' quickly by the request of Aberdeen Coastguard to undertake a search of the coastline which encapsulated a distance of 129km (79 miles) which includes an area of water relating to 483 square kilometres (186 sq miles).

With all responding SAR Units searching specified search locations which covered the whole of the inner Moray Firth where Invergordon Lifeboat covered from the Cromarty Firth to the South Sutor to Chanonry Point, across to Fort George, following the coastline to Nairn, up to Findhorn, onto Burghead and then across to Tarbetness Lighthouse and proceeding down towards the seaboard village of Balintore arriving back at the North Sutor and into the Cromarty Firth, with RNLI Kessock covering the Beauly and Moray Firth towards Chanonry Point including Munlochy Bay.

Coastguard Helicopter Rescue 951 from Dalcross was also tasked to conduct a search of the Moray Firth in a strategic search pattern as local Coastguard carried out a shoreline search from Culbin to Inverness.

With the Mayday call coming from a VHF radio, within the Moray Firth broadcast area this was being treated as real and all efforts were made to locate the vessel in trouble.

With nothing located after an extensive Sea, Land and Air searches, the search was stood down pending further investigation at 11.15pm.

The Volunteer Crew made their way back to Invergordon’s West harbour and the Lifeboat was refuelled and made ready for service around 11:40pm.

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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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