Injured boy rescued from Portlethen rocks by RNLI Stonehaven crew
A 14-year-old boy was rescued from rocks off Portlethen this evening (Sunday) by the RNLI Stonehaven lifeboat crew.
He had slipped and hurt his ankle while out with friends at the coast in Portlethen, just south of Aberdeen, and the UK Coastguard was called. The Stonehaven inshore lifeboat the Jamie Hunter was launched just after 5.30pm, in good weather conditions.
The volunteer crew found the boy and recovered him onto the Atlantic 85 lifeboat, before delivering him to Old Portlethen harbour where the lifeboat and coastguard teams carried him to a waiting ambulance. The rescue and return to Stonehaven harbour took around an hour and a half.
Kenny Jones, RNLI helm for Stonehaven’s lifeboat, said: “The good weather over the weekend brought a lot of people out to enjoy being in, on and around the water.
“However accidents can and do happen, and you should always be aware of risks and potential dangers of what you plan to do, and think about how you can reduce these risks.
“The lad was in an inaccessible part of our coastline when he slipped and damaged his ankle, and was lucky he was with his friends.
“When he found he couldn’t walk on his ankle, his friends - quite rightly - raised the alarm by calling the coastguard.
“If you see anyone in difficulty, or get into difficulty yourself round the coast, you should call the coastguard on 999 or 112.
“After the crew administered first aid, he was carried on the stretcher to the boat. He was in good spirits and we were quickly at Old Portlethen harbour where we were met by the coastguard teams.
“He’ll have had quite a fright but we are here to help, and we’re glad that it was another successful rescue for the RNLI.”
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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