Loch Ness RNLI rescues two kayakers in challenging conditions
On Wednesday 21 August, RNLI Loch Ness volunteer lifeboat crew were tasked to assist a father and son who had become stranded on the shores of Loch Ness in challenging weather conditions.
Passengers on a nearby cruise boat raised the alarm with HM Coastguard after spotting the kayakers waving on the south shore of Loch Ness near Fort Augustus.
Four volunteer crew members from the Loch Ness RNLI lifeboat station launched the Loch Ness Sheila & Dennis Tongue IV lifeboat and made their way to the scene to locate the casualties with the assistance of Coastguard Rescue 151 and vessels Spirit of Loch Ness and Ros Crana. The volunteer crew faced one-and-a-half to two-metre waves during the 30-minute journey, with maximum speeds of 18-20 knots.
Due to the strong winds and large waves, both kayaks had drifted to shore, with one of the casualties entering the water. The inaccessible location of the kayakers required two members of the volunteer crew to swim to shore to assess the casualties before a challenging rescue which involved the casualties and their kayaks being pulled towards the lifeboat with safety lines before being safely transferred to the lifeboat.
The two casualties were cold but did not require any immediate medical treatment. Once back in Fort Augustus, the casualties were met by the Coastguard shore crew who provided casualty care until the ambulance arrived to assess for signs of hypothermia.
Kieron Tarling, volunteer Helm at Loch Ness RNLI Lifeboat Station, says ‘This was a challenging shout due to the strength of the wind and wave height. Extracting casualties from a part of the loch that is inaccessible by road or paths meant we had to think outside the box to avoid the casualties entering the six-degree water and potentially suffering the effects of hypothermia. Fortunately, the casualties did the right thing by changing into dry clothes whilst waiting to be rescued. The weather can change very quickly and we’re glad that the kayakers made it safely to shore before we reached the scene.
'In the end, all of our training paid off and the crew performed perfectly as a team to ensure a happy outcome. Our thanks must go to the crews of Spirit of Loch Ness and Ros Crana who provided guidance on locating the casualties and stood by with additional support, as well as Coastguard Rescue 151 for their assistance and guidance on scene.”
Notes to editors
· Loch Ness lifeboat station was established in 2008
· Situated on the northern shore of the iconic Loch Ness, lifeboat station volunteers operate in a unique, inland environment
· To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/loch-ness-lifeboat-station
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Natasha Bennett, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Scotland, 07826 900639, [email protected]
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Martin Macnamara, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for Scotland, 07920 365929, [email protected]
RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789
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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 142,700 lives.
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