Oban RNLI lifeboat launches to 3 separate incidents rescuing 9 people and a dog

Oban Lifeboat ‘Mora Edith MacDonald’ was first requested to launch at 2.23pm to assist a 6 metre dive RIB with 5 people on board. It had suffered engine failure at the south end of Kerrera. The lifeboat arrived on scene at 2.39pm where a tow line was passed and the vessel taken under tow back to the Port Beag slipway in Oban where it was recovered back on to its trailer. Oban lifeboat returned to her berth where she was made ready for service again by 3.50pm.

The second call came at 11.17pm. UK Coastguard had recieved reports of a person in the water at Corpach. Shortly after launching an update was recieved that the person in the water was now safely ashore. The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again by 11.55pm.

Just half an hour later, the assistance of Oban lifeboat was requested again. This time, to a yacht that had dragged its anchor and run aground in the Tinkers Hole anchorage at the south western tip of the Ross of Mull. It was understood that the yachts crew had abandoned the vessel due to the heavy list and possibility of capsize.

Oban lifeboat launched on service at 12.38am, arriving on scene shortly after 2am. It was clear that the yacht was well aground and in danger of capsizing at any moment. Two people had made it ashore, they were cold, wet and in shock at this time.

The lifeboat deployed their daughter craft with two crew members on board to recover the casualties and asses the damage to the yacht. It was soon discovered that there were a further two persons and a Bernese Mountain dog to their party, who had been camping on another island north of the anchorage. Due to the lack of phone signal in the area, they were out of contact and unaware of what had happened to the yacht.

The two crew members along with the boats owner set off to locate the other group members. Once all party members were accounted for and safely transferred aboard the lifeboat, the volunteer crew secured the yacht by running ropes ashore to ensure it wouldn’t drift free when the tide would begin to rise. It was understood that the owners would revisit the vessel the following day to refloat it.

Oban lifeboat departed the scene with the four people and dog on board and proceeded on the long journey back to Oban. The lifeboat arrived back alongside by 6.30am, made ready for service again by 7.30am, following relevant cleaning inline with Covid-19 guidelines.

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.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.