Portree RNLI lifeboat launches to casualty at Bonnie Prince Charlie cave
The volunteer crew of Portree RNLI were called today (Wednesday 4 February 2026) to assist a casualty who had fallen at a cave once used as a hiding place by Bonnie Prince Charlie.
Portree Trent class lifeboat Stanley Watson Barker, which has been based at the Isle of Skye RNLI station for 30 years, was requested to launch by HM Coastguard following a report of a casualty that had fallen on the Trotternish coastline and required medical assistance.
The volunteers were paged at 1.42pm and the lifeboat launched shortly afterwards with Scottish Ambulance Service paramedics onboard who were also responding to the medical emergency.
Stanley Watson Barker made best towards the scene - a remote cave on the Trotternish coastline north of Portree - which was once a hiding place of Charles Edward Stuart, more commonly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie.
When the lifeboat arrived at the location, members of the volunteer crew assisted with reaching the casualty, who had fallen from a ledge above the shoreline. Following an assessment of the casualty and of the scene, it was determined that the best course of action was for the HM Coastguard helicopter from Inverness to attend and evacuate the casualty.
This was the second shout in 48 hours for the volunteers of Portree RNLI. On Tuesday 3 February, HM Coastguard requested the lifeboat to launch just after midnight following reports of flares being spotted in the Loch Pooltiel and Dunvegan Head area of North Skye. Following a search, it was determined that this was a false alarm with good intent.
Stuart Nicolson, Coxswain at Portree RNLI, said:
‘This was a challenging shout for the volunteer crew, particularly as the casualty was located in quite a remote area of coastline, but the team worked well together alongside colleagues from the Scottish Ambulance Service and HM Coastguard, which helped to ensure the casualty was evacuated safely from the scene. We send our best wishes to the casualty and wish them a speedy recovery.
‘I’d like to extend my thanks once again to the crew for their prompt response to their pagers sounding, for the second time in a 48 hour period. The volunteers are on call 24 hours a day.’
After the Jacobites were defeated at the Battle of Culloden in 1746, Bonnie Prince Charlie travelled across the Highlands and Islands to evade capture by pursuing forces, and often found refuge in coastal and mountain caves, including near Portree.
After hiding in this cave for a period, it is believed that he fled to the neighbouring island of Raasay, before then seeking refuge in Elgol in South Skye.
The RNLI has been saving lives at sea for over two hundred years. It relies on donations and support from the public to operate the lifesaving service that it does.
There are over 5,700 volunteer RNLI lifeboat crew members at 238 lifeboat stations around the UK and Ireland, with a further 4,000 volunteer shore crew members. Our volunteers are on call and ready to respond to calls for help 24 hrs a day, 365 days of the year.
ENDS
Notes to editors
· All photos in this press release should be credited to RNLI/Robert MacInnes.
· Portree Lifeboat Station was established in 1991. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/portree-lifeboat-station
· The current lifeboat Stanley Watson Barker is due to be replaced in 2026 by a brand new £2.78M Shannon class lifeboat, RNLB Peter and Mary. The new lifeboat received its official bell ringing ceremony on Tuesday 27 January 2026 at the All Weather Lifeboat Centre in Poole. The vessel will now undergo extensive sea trials before sailing for Portree, with the crew training already underway.
RNLI media contacts
For further information, please contact:
Robert MacInnes, Lifeboat Press Officer at Portree RNLI: 07950 421829 / [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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