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Busy week for Stromness RNLI

Lifeboats News Release

The normally quiet RNLI lifeboat station at Stromness in Orkney saw the lifeboat volunteers called upon three times in five days recently.

Richard Clubley

Stromness Severn class Violet Dorothy and Kathleen 17-16 at sea.
First, the lifeboat Violet Dorothy and Kathleen was launched to assist two visitors who found themselves cut off by the tide on the Brough of Birsay in the north west of Orkney.

Crossing to and from this tidal island is only possible for about four hours at the bottom of each tide. The walk round the Brough is a popular attraction to visitors and locals alike but you really do have to plan carefully and keep an eye on the tide. Attempting to wade or swim after the causeway is awash is not recommended since the tide runs strongly across. The visitors did the right thing by dialling 999 and asking for the coastguard.

The crew launched their Y-boat and transferred the folk, one at a time, across to the coastguard waiting on the shore. They were none the worse for their adventure.

Passing Skaill, on the way north from Stromness to Birsay, the crew were requested by another coastguard group to help a yacht having difficulty in the bay. Once again, everyone was put to safety with no casualties.

Brand new crew member - Alistair Park - must have been wondering what he had let himself in for when the pagers went off again a few days later.

This time the boat made a quick dash to rescue a walker who had fallen from the path near the high cliffs of Yesnaby. The casualty was recovered form the rocks below and transferred directly to a waiting ambulance at Stromness harbour - all in less than an hour after the pagers alerted the crew. Thank you to all the crew for their prompt actions all week.

Notes to editors

ยท Stromness 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 Rushby, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Scotland, 07826 900639, [email protected]

Tom McGuire, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Scotland and Ireland, 00353 87 476 4436, [email protected]

Martin Macnamara, RNLI Regional Communications Lead 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.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

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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