Early morning wake-up call for Girvan Lifeboat.

At 00:38 Tuesday 1st September, our volunteer crews pagers were activated by CGOC Belfast after receiving a mayday 999 call from a yacht advising they had lost all power and required help.

Despite most being sound asleep, within minutes of the pagers sounding our volunteer crew were at the station & geared up, the sound of the Shannon's class lifeboat engines roaring into life echoed round the nightime stillness of the harbour and the lifeboat was soon leaving the harbour and heading North towards the casualties reported position.

Once on scene, with the situation assessed and communications established, the best course of action was to take the vessel under tow back to Girvan.

An hour later and the lifeboat, with the casualty vessel now alongside, it slowly emerged between the green and red lights at the harbour entrance, our crew then berthed the yacht safely within the harbour and returned to our own pontoon, the lifeboat was made ready for the next service call and our crew returned home to their beds.

However this was to be shortlived, with an early muster at the lifeboat station for a 7am Passage to Largs.

This was for out 6 monthly lift out the water, where any routine maintenance is carried out along with checks and a good clean, this ensures our lifeboat is at it's best at all times.

A quick hop and a skip back down the Clyde later and our crew and Lifeboat are back in Girvan, where the lifeboat was made ready for the next service call.

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

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