Anstruther RNLI respond to red flares sighted over Leven Bay
Anstruther RNLI all-weather lifeboat Robert and Catherine Steen was launched on Tuesday evening (14 October) after a member of the public had reported seeing two red flares in the sky between Kincraig Point and Leven.
A member of the public had made a 999 call to HM Coastguard and reported seeing two red flares out at sea between Kincraig Point and Leven. Coastguard Rescue Teams from St. Andrews and Leven were already on the scene and had been conducting shoreline searches from Leven and Shell Bay. However, a coastline search from the water was required to try and locate any possible vessels or casualties.
At 9.47pm the Anstruther volunteer crew had assembled, kitted out, and after receiving a brief of the tasking request, launched into a smooth sea with good visibility on a clear night, which would aid their shoreline search.
By 10.08pm Anstruther’s Shannon all-weather lifeboat Robert and Catherine Steen, using its twin water-jet Scania engines, was at the scene in no time. The well-oiled and practiced skills and drills of the volunteer crew immediately sprung into action and a shoreline search commenced of the area from the Elie Chain Walk, all the way along to Leven. After searching for just under an hour the search was called off by the Coastguard at 11.07pm. The clear sky and calm sea enabled a comprehensive search of both the shore and coastline, with the Anstruther volunteer crew working in tandem with their Coastguard Rescue Team colleagues to determine that there was nothing to be found, and, more importantly, no detected risk to life. The lifeboats were stood down by the Coastguard, deeming the incident to be a false alarm with good intent.
By 11.42pm the Anstruther all-weather lifeboat was back in harbour; however, due to the state of tides and there being too much water, it was not possible to conduct a high-water recovery of the Shannon. Therefore, the all-weather lifeboat was moored up on Anstruther’s West Pier where, due to a week of dull tides, it remained on service, ready for the next emergency.
The all-weather lifeboat remained moored up in the water until it was again in use during its weekly exercise on Wednesday evening. After the completion of the exercise, which commenced at 6.30pm on 15 October, Anstruther’s all-weather lifeboat was rehoused, washed and refuelled and at 9.15pm was back in its temporary compound adjacent to Anstruther RNLI Lifeboat Station. Once the new ‘Boatshed’, which is currently being built, becomes operational, Anstruther’s volunteer crew will be able to recover and rehouse the all-weather lifeboat on every occasion, as the design of the new slipway will allow sufficient room to rotate the Shannon Launch and Recovery System (SLRS) and they will not be restricted by the state of the tides.
Kevin Calder RNLI, Coxswain for Anstruther’s RNLI lifeboat, said: ‘Fortunately, this request to launch from HM Coastguard turned out to be a false alarm with good intent; moreover, that reporting a possible sighting of red flares to the UK Coastguard was the right thing to do, as someone’s life could depend upon your prompt and accurate reporting. Therefore, if you see a distress flare, or a situation where somebody may need their life saving at sea, call 999 and report it to the Coastguard. However, a polite reminder and a note of caution as we are approaching firework season. Please enjoy yourselves and keep yourselves safe, but always remember that fireworks, especially red ones, let off along the coastline may result in the launch of a lifeboat and may potentially delay us from responding to a further ‘shout’ and saving lives at sea.’
End
Notes to editors
The attached pictures shows the Anstruther RNLI all-weather lifeboat, Robert and Catherine Steen’s crew being recovered post exercise on 15 October 2025: Credit RNLI Anstruther.
The attached video shows the Anstruther RNLI all-weather lifeboat, Robert and Catherine Steen launching for the actual ‘shout’ on 14 October 2025: Credit RNLI Anstruther.
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