North Berwick RNLI launch twice in two days
Volunteer crew at North Berwick RNLI responded to their pagers twice during the last few days of March, launching the charity’s D-class inshore lifeboat SUNIJO to incidents towards the east of the town.
In the first incident (Sunday 30 March, 10.18am), the crew were tasked to search for a missing person alongside members of Dunbar Coastguard Rescue Team. After a two hour shoreline search the search was called off as the missing person had been traced by Police Scotland.
The second call out came an hour before high water on Monday 31 March, 3.58pm after two adults were cut off by the incoming spring tide on the Ghegan, a large rock at Seacliff.
Breaking waves in the shallow rocky reefs that surround the Ghegan meant a rescue from the water would be too dangerous to attempt. Local Coastguard Rescue Team members from North Berwick therefore requested assistance from the Coastguard Rescue Helicopter (Rescue 199) which airlifted the casualties to safety.
Volunteer Helm of North Berwick Lifeboat, Callum MacLeod said "This afternoon saw the peak height of the spring tides this week. Although the high tides are reducing in height over the next few days, if you're heading for a coastal walk, you should always check the tide, beware of coastal cut off and have a safe route back to land. In any coastal emergency dial 999 for the coastguard."
Notes to editors
- In 2023 RNLI lifeboats from 238 stations across the UK and RoI launched 9,192 times saving 355 lives, RNLI Lifeguards saved a further 151 lives, North Berwick launched 21 times.
- It cost £1,400 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.
RNLI media contacts
Matthew Gibbons, Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer, North Berwick,
[email protected]
Natasha Bennett, 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 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
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