The weekend saw a couple of callouts for the volunteer RNLI lifeboat crew with the first taking place shortly before 5pm on Saturday 18th June 2022 following reports of a dog, Mali the three year old Labrador, in difficulty in the water at the River Garnock within Irvine Harbour.
Given the location of the incident, Belfast Coastguard also tasked the Ardrossan Coastguard Rescue Team to proceed to Irvine and meet with the owners.
RNLI D class inshore lifeboat Sheena launched and began to head towards Irvine harbour. As they did so Belfast Coastguard received a second 999 call from a member of the public to report they had located a very soggy dog further down river. After quickly confirming this was the missing Labrador, the inshore lifeboat was stood down and the Ardrossan Coastguard Rescue Team were able to successfully reunite Mali with her relieved owners.
Speaking about the callout, Troon RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager Jim Redmond said, ‘We would always urge people not to place themselves in any danger if their dog gets into difficulty at the coast. On this occasion, the owners did the right thing and did not enter the water to try and rescue their dog, instead they dialled 999 for the Coastguard.’
The second callout of the weekend came at 4.55pm on Sunday 19 June 2022, as Belfast Coastguard were informed that two persons may be in difficulty on the rocks at Ardrossan. As the all-weather lifeboat was launching, information came through from Belfast Coastguard that the launch was no longer required, and the lifeboats were stood down.
If you think you see someone in difficulty at the coast, dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
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.
