Two callouts including a Mayday call for Troon RNLI all-weather lifeboat
Two callouts including a Mayday call for Troon RNLI all-weather lifeboat
Lifeboats News Release
The first callout came at 8.26am when Belfast Coastguard were contacted by a 82ft yacht aground on Cumbrae. Initially Largs lifeboat, Atlantic 85 R A Wilson, was launched to the scene followed by the Troon all-weather lifeboat RNLB Jim Moffat.
RNLI/TroonLifeboat
The first callout of the day working alongside Largs lifeboat
On arrival, after consultation with the yachts crew and the lifeboat crews, Largs lifeboat was able to assist the casualty vessel from a rocky ledge. With the vessel clear of the ledge, the casualty vessel, escorted by the lifeboats, made its own way to anchor to await divers to assess for any damage.
With this, both lifeboats were stood down by Belfast Coastguard and the all-weather returned to Troon where it was made ‘ready for service’.
At 4.01pm, the pagers of the volunteer RNLI lifeboat crew were once again activated by Belfast Coastguard after a Mayday call from a 37ft yacht with two persons on board had suffered from machinery failure near Ardrossan and due to the weather conditions was drifting inshore.
The RNLI Trent class lifeboat was once again launched and headed to the scene. The Caledonian MacBrayne ferry Caledonian Isles also responded to the Mayday call, along with the Coastguard helicopter Rescue 199 from Prestwick and the Ardrossan Coastguard Rescue Team.
While on route, information came through that the casualty vessel was at anchor north of Horse Island. Once on scene, after consultation with the crew onboard, it was decided due to the sea conditions, that the vessel would remain at anchor and the 2 persons on board would be transferred to the lifeboat.
The all-weather lifeboat was manoeuvred alongside the casualty vessel and the two crew were successfully transferred to the lifeboat. With the casualties on board, the lifeboat then headed to Ardrossan harbour where the crew were transferred ashore to the waiting coastguard team.
With the yacht remaining at anchor to be recovered by the owners at a later time, the lifeboat then returned to Troon where it was once again made ‘ready for service’ with the assistance of the shore crew.
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.
