At 11.13pm on Thursday 27 June 2019, Troon lifeboat crew were paged by Belfast Coastguard after reports of 5 persons on Horse Island, Ardrossan after a RIB they were on suffered machinery problems.
Ardrossan CRT
RNLI D Class inshore lifeboat 'Sheena' bringing the casualty RIB alongside
The volunteer crew attended at the station and within 10 minutes Trent class all-weather lifeboat 'RNLB Jim Moffat' along with D class inshore lifeboat 'Sheena' had launched to the scene. Also tasked by Belfast Coastguard was the Ardrossan Coastguard Rescue Team.
As the lifeboats approached Horse Island the RIB was observed by the crew of the inshore lifeboat. The five occupants of the RIB were quickly located on the island and taken aboard the inshore lifeboat before they were transferred to the all-weather lifeboat to be taken into Clyde Marina Ardrossan.
The inshore lifeboat then returned and the crew successfully managed to recover the casualty RIB from the island. The RIB was then taken under tow by the inshore lifeboat into the marina where it was met by the all-weather lifeboat crew and the Coastguard team.
With the casualties ashore with the Coastguard team and the RIB secured alongside, the lifeboats returned to Troon where the lifeboats were made 'ready for service' with the assistance of the shore crew.
Speaking after the callout, Troon RNLI Coxswain Joe Millar said: ‘As we enjoy the good weather and with the summer months ahead, we would like to remind anyone planning a trip to sea to always Respect the Water. Always wear a lifejacket, always carry a means of communication, and always let someone ashore know where you are going and when you are due back.
'Should you get into difficulty, or see someone else in trouble at sea or on the coast, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.’
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.
