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Stromness RNLI Stand By in Darkness

Lifeboats News Release

The volunteer crew of Stromness lifeboat attended a casualty stranded on a tiny, tidal island in Orkney this week.

RNLI/Richard Clubley

RNLB Violet Dorothy and Kathleen was called by HM Coastguard to the tiny island of Brough of Birsay, in the north-west corner of Orkney, where a lone visitor had been cut off by the tide at around 8:00pm. The person was uninjured, and in no immediate danger. The lifeboat coxswain judged it unsafe to launch the Y-boat, in the darkness and a significant sea running.

Coastguard helicopter 151 was scrambled from Inverness and had the casualty safely transferred across the tidal causeway by around 11:00pm. The lifeboat stood-by throughout the whole operation in case she was needed and was back on her berth, fuelled and ready for service shortly afterwards.

The incident serves as a timely reminder to locals and visitors alike - and to folk visiting other places affected by the tides - to carefully check the tide tables and then to keep a sharp eye on the time. Local advice about the particular conditions on the day can also be helpful.

The casualty would have had to wait around seven hours, on a cold night with no food, so the temptation to swim or wade across might have been persuasive. The water is very cold, however, and the tide runs strongly across the causeway so that would not have been a good idea.

Notes to editors

ยท Stromness RNLI Lifeboat Station has been operating since 1867. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/stromness-lifeboat-station

RNLI media contacts

Richard Clubley, Lifeboat Press Officer, [email protected]

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 146,000 lives.

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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.

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