Buckie RNLI launches to rescue two teenagers drifting offshore on paddleboard

The volunteer crew’s pagers sounded at 7.43pm following multiple calls to HM Coastguard from concerned members of the public that two girls were in difficulty after drifting out to sea on a paddleboard of Findochty.

Buckie RNLI all weather lifeboat RNLB Margaret Joan and Fred Nye was launched at 7.51pm and made best speed to the scene.

When the charity’s lifeboat arrived at 8.01pm, the two girls were approximately one mile off the coast of Findochty. Both casualties were quickly recovered on board by the volunteer crew.

The girls were assessed by the crew’s casualty care trained volunteers but apart from being cold and shaken, neither required further medical attention.

The lifeboat then made best speed back to station where the girls were reunited with their waiting family members.

Stuart Mack, Buckie RNLI volunteer coxswain, said: ‘The girls had drifted a considerable distance from shore and were becoming increasingly vulnerable. Our volunteer crew responded quickly and safely recovered both casualties before returning them to their families.’

Although conditions appeared calm close to shore, an offshore wind had carried the paddleboard further out to sea. Conditions can often be deceptive, and even experienced water users can quickly find themselves in difficulty.

If you are planning to head out on the water, check the conditions carefully and carry a means of calling for help. If you see anyone in difficulty at sea, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

The volunteer crew then washed down and prepared the lifeboat ready for service once again.

RNLI Media Contacts

For further information, please contact:

Jeffrey Tuckerman, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI Buckie, [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]

RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [email protected]

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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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