Aberdeen and Stonehaven RNLI lifeboats combine in search for missing person
The UK Coastguard called out the Aberdeen and Stonehaven lifeboats today (Sunday 21 February) to help with a police search for a missing person off the Portlethen coast.
Both Aberdeen lifeboats had already been called out at around 9.15am to search for a surfer potentially in danger off the city coast. This turned out to be a false alarm, although the call was made with good intent.
Aberdeen’s inshore lifeboat, Buoy Woody - 85N, returned from service to its station.
However, Aberdeen’s all-weather lifeboat, the Bon Accord, carried on southwards to join Stonehaven’s inshore lifeboat Jamie Hunter to carry out a search in the Portlethen area.
The call had been made just before 11am to look for a person who had been reported to the police as missing the previous evening.
Conditions were moderate, with a wind force 4-5 and a south-easterly swell.
However, the operation was stood down just before noon and the volunteer crews all returned to their station when the person was traced to a house in Stonehaven.
Andy Martin, Lifeboat Operations Manager at the Stonehaven station, praised the crews for their quick response.
'It’s been a busy morning for the crews in what was a well co-ordinated operation with all the rescue services working together,' he said.
'Today was a good result, and we are very grateful to our volunteer crews who are there seven days a week, 365 days a year, ready to save lives at sea.'
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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