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RNLI Longhope comes to the aid of fogbound divers

Lifeboats News Release

RNLI Longhope volunteer crew were paged today at 2.49pm and all weather lifeboat Helen Comrie was launched approximately ten minutes later.

RNLI/Andy Fellows

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The Longhope lifeboat proceeded towards a location near Stanger Head, Flotta, where the skipper of a dive boat had requested assistance. Fog had descended rapidly and he was concerned for the safety of eleven divers due to return to the surface imminently.



On reaching the location, the Longhope volunteer crew stood by and ensured that all divers were safely out of the water before returning to Longhope Pier at 3.42pm.



Lifeboat coxswain Kevin Kirkpatrick said, “The skipper did absolutely the right thing in calling for assistance. Visibility was extremely poor and divers can be disorientated and vulnerable in these conditions.”


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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