Medivac sparks launch of Invergordon RNLI
Invergordon RNLI Lifeboat ‘Agnes AP Barr’ was requested to launch Tuesday 9th August to assist with a medical evacuation from cruise liner in the inner Moray Firth.
Invergordon’s Volunteer crew were paged to launch to assist with a medical issue on board a Cruise Liner which had departed Invergordon earlier in the evening bound for Edinburgh.
The Lifeboat launched with a crew of six and made best speed to the Cruise Liner which had stopped at the Moray Firth Fairway Buoy to await the arrival of the Shannon Class Lifeboat. Arriving a short time later, two casualty trained crew boarded the liner and along with the liner medical time assisted the casualty and a senior medic onboard the lifeboat for the return journey to Invergordon West Harbour, the lifeboat was met by an awaiting Ambulance and Rapid Response Team along with local Coastguard where the casualty was conveyed to Raigmore Hospital for medical attention.
The Lifeboat made the journey back to the Fairway Buoy to ensure the senior medic re-joined the liner on the continued journey south before returning to the lifeboat berth in the West Harbour, washed, refuelled and made ready for service by 10:15pm.
Coxswain Bruce Rae said, “At Invergordon RNLI we are always happy to provide support and assistance to our visiting cruise liners, a medical evacuation is a time critical event and we will always do what we can to ensure a successful outcome. I’d like to thank the crew for their rapid response time and wish the casualty well.”
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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