First callout for Girvans new Shannon lifeboat

At 15:51 Saturday 2nd June Girvan Lifeboat was requested to launch by UK Coastguard Operations Centre at Belfast.

The lifeboats volunteer crew were paged, and on arrival at station were informed of a motor cruiser that had engine failure just outside the harbour.

Girvan's new Shannon Class all-weather lifeboat 13-23 'Elizabeth and Gertrude Allan' was launched and made best speed to the stricken vessel, where the situation was assessed by our crew.

The casualty vessel was attached to the lifeboat and brought under tow to the harbour, where she was safely berthed by the crew.

With the casualty vessel securely berthed and the occupants safe and in no danger, the lifeboat then returned to her own mooring and was made ready for the next service call.

This was the first callout for the new £2.1 million Shannon Class lifeboat which was officially named on the 10th of May after formally going on service on 20th April 2018.

Shannon class lifeboats are built in-house by the RNLI, the £2.1 million cost of Girvan’s new lifeboat has been funded by the John & Elizabeth Allan Memorial Trust.

The Shannon class is the first of the RNLI’s all-weather lifeboats to be powered by water-jets rather than traditional propellers, making it the most agile and manoeuvrable lifeboat in the charity’s fleet

RNLI media contacts

Craig Sommerville, Girvan Lifeboat Crewmember & Press Officer, 07411276383, 01465714454
[email protected]@sky.com

Henry Weaver, , RNLI Public Relations Manager for Scotland, 01738 642986, 07771 943026,[email protected]

Gemma McDonald RNLI Regional media officer for Scotland 01738 642956, 07826 900639,[email protected]

RNLI Press Office, 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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