North Berwick RNLI volunteers receive Letters of Commendation for 2024 rescue

A family of five had been paddle boarding when strong offshore winds started taking them out to sea. Two of the children were able to make it ashore, however the youngest, and the parents who entered the water to try and help, soon ended up approximately 800m from the beach, and heading further out to sea.

Thankfully beachgoers had seen the emergency unfolding, dialling 999 for HM Coastguard who paged North Berwick Lifeboat volunteers. Within six minutes of launching, North Berwick’s D-class lifeboat, SUNIJO, was on scene.

Fraser Fulton was the volunteer helm responding to the emergency that day. The Letter of Commendation came as a surprise to him: ‘As lifeboat crew we get called out in all manner of conditions. This was definitely a time critical rescue with a number of people in the water. The wind was blowing up to gale force, but we were focussed on recovering the casualties safely. After any shout we debrief and fill out paperwork, it feels fairly routine for us, though understandably traumatic for the casualties’

‘As with many of the call outs we get, I was incredibly proud to be part of the team here at North Berwick; we recovered the casualties back to the boathouse where the crew who hadn’t come afloat with us provided casualty care until the Scottish Ambulance Service arrived. That allowed us to head back to sea to recover the paddleboards, potentially preventing another call out.’

‘We don’t often get to hear from the casualties we rescue, however with this rescue being featured on BBC Two’s Saving Lives at Sea in August, [series 10, episode 2] we were delighted to hear that the incident hasn’t prevented the family from seeking some supervised time back on the water this summer.’

Also afloat, and receiving Letters of Commendation, were siblings Steven and Vikki Selby. Christmas is a time for family and friends, but the RNLI’s volunteer crews are ready to leave their own celebrations this festive season and answer the call for help. Like volunteers around the coast, the brother and sister are preparing to spend Christmas on call for the RNLI.

Of being on call this festive period Vikki Selby said; ‘I’m looking forward to Christmas with my family, especially seeing as Steven has been away with work recently. We’re planning the usual family lunch, we’ve got a sea view so no doubt I’ll have one eye on the sea. You can never tell when the pager will sound; in 2019 we had two shouts on Boxing Day, to a capsized kayaker and an injured walker.’

‘It’s also something of a tradition to head into the sea for a festive dip with the family over Christmas, like many others. We always check the tidal and weather conditions first, and I urge you to do the same if you’re headed to the coast this festive period. In the nicest possible way, I don’t want our paths to cross!’

RNLI lifeboats across the UK and RoI launch over 100 times on average during the Christmas period*, with 119 launches in 2024.

These rescues, and the meritorious service that saved three lives in North Berwick last year, are only made possible by the RNLI’s generous supporters, helping to fund the essential kit, training and equipment needed to keep crews prepared and protected. Over £190M was spent in 2024 by the RNLI to keep the lifesaving operation running.

To make a donation to the RNLI’s Christmas Appeal, and enable the charity to continue its lifesaving work, visit: RNLI.org/WinterAppeal

*Christmas period refers to 24 December – 1 January inclusive and launch statistics cover the RNLI in Ireland and the UK.

2024: 119
2023: 120
2022: 102
2021: 107
2020: 108

Notes to editors

• In 2024 RNLI lifeboats from 238 stations across the UK and RoI launched 9,141 times saving 437 lives (alongside RNLI lifeguards), North Berwick launched 28 times, saving 7 lives.
• It cost £1,360 a year to train each crew member in the lifesaving skills they need to answer the call for help
• 97% of the RNLI’s frontline lifesavers are volunteers including over 5,700 lifeboat crew members.
• In 2024 it cost the RNLI £190M to run its charitable lifesaving service, 6 in 10 of the lifeboat launches were funded by generous supporters leaving the RNLI a gift in their will.

RNLI media contacts

Matthew Gibbons, Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer, North Berwick, [email protected]
Richard Smith, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Scotland, 07826 900639, [email protected]
Martin Macnamara, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for Scotland, 07920 365929, [email protected]
24 hour RNLI Central Press Office, 01202 336789 or email [email protected]

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI is the charity that 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 146,700 lives.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, TikTok 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.