Liferaft drifting in the Sound of Mull
Reports of an object drifting in the Sound of Mull instigated a search involving Oban RNLI Lifeboat, Craignure and Tobermory Coastguard Rescue Team on the afternoon of Tuesday 4th February.
At 3:40pm today the UK Coastguard requested the launch of Oban RNLI Lifeboat Mora Edith MacDonald following reports of an object, believed to be a liferaft or possibly a person in a survival suit floating in the water in Craignure Bay. The location was given as just South of the Calmac linkspan.
Upon arrival the volunteer crew quickly discovered that the object was a partially deflated liferaft with nobody onboard. Due to the volume of water contained within the liferaft, recovery was going to be a challenge. The decision was therefore made to tow it to the linkspan where it was recovered with the assistance of Craignure and Tobermory Coastguard Rescue Teams. Oban Lifeboat was then able to return to station.
It was subsequently discovered that this liferaft had been reported missing in the Loch Linnhe area the previous week.
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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 142,700 lives.
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