Ruairidh is Oban Lifeboat’s newest coxswain
The quartermaster on CalMac’s MV Clansman last night (Wednesday) passed out as a lifeboat coxswain and is now qualified to lead a six-strong crew on Oban’s Shannon class lifeboat, The Campbell-Watson.
After more than a year of additional training, Ruairidh Morris completed his final assessment (pass out) where he was tested at sea on his ability to command, navigate and handle the lifeboat.
Under the scrutiny of Coastal Lifeboat Trainer, Ally Young, Ruairidh had to anchor the lifeboat, demonstrate how he would undertake a sector search in a scenario where an aircraft had crashed into the sea, and conduct a man overboard exercise.
Ruairidh joined the Oban crew in February 2023. A year ago, he passed out as a navigator.
Ruairidh said:
“It’s a huge honour to be trusted by the RNLI and by my fellow crew members to take on the role of coxswain and I want to thank everyone for their support. Qualifying is a challenging and lengthy process and simply wouldn’t have been possible for me without their help, advice and encouragement throughout the training process.”
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.
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