Second Call Out This Week For Kippford RNLI

The pagers rang out at 3.22pm and the crew quickly assembled at the lifeboat station, where lifeboat Ronnie Sinclair was launched within ten minutes. The call had been made by a family of five people with a dog in the Sandyhills area who had been cut off by the incoming tide.

With a force four southwesterly wind the crew were able to reach the reported location in 20 minutes and quickly identified the casualties on the shore line. On arrival they were made aware that another family had also been cut off in the same location taking the total to nine people plus a dog.

The lifeboat crew were able to use their local knowledge to guide the group to an alternative route out of the location. Liaising with the Portling Coastguard Rescue officers everyone was able to walk back towards safety and although cold from the wind there were no reported injuries.

Kippford lifeboat helm, James Kelly, said: ‘The tides around Sandyhills are notorious for catching people out. The prevalence of deep, meandering channels mean it is easy to be cut off without realising. The group did exactly the right thing in calling for help and it was great that we were able to help direct them to a safe exit route.’

The lifeboat then returned to station arriving back in Kippford at 4.45pm where the boat was washed down and made ready for service again.