Busy Friday for Largs volunteer crew with three call outs

Largs RNLI Lifeboat Station's Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat R A Wilson' was first launched just after 8am, along with our flank stations from Arran and Troon, to reports of a person in difficulty at South Beach, Ardrossan.

Whilst making best speed to the casualty's location, the volunteer crew were contacted by the UK Coastguard to advise that the casualty had been recovered from the water by members of the Ardrossan Coastguard rescue team, and was now safely ashore.

With no further assistance required, all lifeboats were released from service and returned to their lifeboat stations where they were made ready for their next service call.

Largs volunteer crew were alerted by their pagers at 4pm to their second tasking of the day. This time, the crew were responding to an 8m yacht aground in Fairlie bay, with one person on board.

On arrival at the scene, the yacht was found to be high and dry with no possibility of towing it free. A crew member waded into the yacht and after a discussion with the yacht's owner, it was found that the engine failed when he left his mooring.

Unfortunately, the owner did not have time to hoist enough sail to enable him to sail into deeper water.

After talking through the available options, the owner of the yacht asked if his anchor could be deployed so when the tide came in his yacht would not go further up the beach. He also asked for further assistance once the tide allowed due to the vessel's engine failure.

As the owner had his own tender, he stated he would go ashore and wait until the yacht started to float before returning to it. With all relevant details and information passed to the UK Coastguard, Largs lifeboat returned to station and refuelled.

The final call of the day was at 7:45pm when the Largs volunteer crew launched their lifeboat for the third time that day. This time, they were requested to assist with the yacht that had gone aground earlier that afternoon.

Once on scene, the yacht was found to be floating in an upright state with the owner on board.

With no engine and no steering, an alongside tow was established by the lifeboat crew to allow the previously deployed anchor to be recovered safely.

Once the yacht was secured onto its mooring, the volunteer lifeboat crew escorted the owner ashore in his tender.

With the owner ashore and the yacht secured Largs Lifeboat was released from service and returned to station where it was refuelled, washed down and made ready for its next service call.

ENDS

 

 

 

Notes to editors

· Largs lifeboat station has been operating since 1964. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/largs-lifeboat-station

 

 

RNLI media contacts

Brian Rankin, RNLI Largs Lifeboat Press Officer

Claire McRae, RNLI Largs Lifeboat Press Officer

Natasha Bennett, RNLI Regional Media Officer for Scotland, 07826 900639, [email protected]

Martin Macnamara, RNLI Regional Media Manager for Scotland, 07920 365929, [email protected]

RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789

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 142,700 lives.

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