Three callouts in 24 hours for Peterhead RNLI lifeboat crew

The first call came in last night (Monday 13 June) around 8.15pm during weekly exercise training when the team were cast to support a search just off of Fraserburgh.

The Peterhead RNLI volunteer crew diverted and responded to the mayday call, alongside Fraserburgh’s all-weather lifeboat, helicopter rescue from Inverness and a fleet of vessels from the local coastguard teams. A wide search of the area was conducted before returning just before midnight, having found nothing untoward.

Yesterday’s search was followed this morning (Tuesday 14 June) by a tasking out at Slains Castle, where there had been reports that a dog had potentially fallen over the cliffs. The team launched the lifeboat to the scene, arriving at 11.15am, where the dog, which had unfortunately died, was retrieved.

Whilst transporting the dog back to Peterhead, there had been some 999 emergency calls about a small fishing boat with one person onboard, whose engine had failed and looked to be in difficulty just south of Buchanness Lighthouse.

The vessel and the skipper were well equipped and able to use oars to get themselves in safe water until the lifeboat arrived.

Following a detour, taking the vessel in tow to Boddam Harbour, the crew finally returned to Peterhead, where they passed the dog to the owners.

Peterhead RNLI Duty Coxswain Pat Davidson said: ‘I want to thank the volunteer crew for their professionalism in what has been a busy 24-hour period, with all the shouts having very different outcomes. We would also like to pass on our sincere condolences to the dog owners.

‘On behalf of Peterhead RNLI lifeboat team, we would also like to thank the employers and families of our volunteers, who allow us to drop everything and respond to shouts as this is vital in keeping the charity’s lifeboats crewed.’

The RNLI relies on volunteers to continue saving lives at sea 24/7, 365 days a year.

ENDS

Notes to editors

· Peterhead RNLI lifeboat station has been operating since 1865. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/peterhead-lifeboat-station

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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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