Early morning call out for Fraserburgh RNLI Lifeboat volunteers
Fraserburgh’s volunteer RNLI crew were paged in the early hours of Sunday morning 11 January 2026 following reports of a person in the water near the local fish market.
The request for launch came from HM Coastguard at 12.44 am. The response from the local RNLI was immediate; so many volunteers arrived at the station that there were enough crew members to man the lifeboat twice over.
The station’s Trent class Willie and May Gall was launched and made its way to the fish market at Fraserburgh Harbour. However, upon arrival, it was determined that the person was no longer in danger. Police and Coastguard teams on the shore had the situation under control, and it was confirmed that no one was in the water.
With the potential danger passed, the lifeboat and her crew were stood down and returned to the station at 1.03 am, where the vessel was made ready for service again.
Speaking during the crew debrief, Fraserburgh RNLI Coxswain Vic Sutherland praised the members of the public who alerted the Coastguard. 'We urge everyone: if you see someone in trouble in the water, or think they might be, do not hesitate—dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.'
Vic added: 'The quicker we are alerted, the sooner we can get there. Seconds count and can make all the difference in achieving a positive outcome.'
'I want to thank the crew for their quick response at such an early hour,' added Vic. 'Thankfully, our services weren’t needed on this occasion as the danger had passed, but we would always rather be called out and find everyone is safe than not be called at all.'
Notes to editors
Fraserburgh lifeboat station has been operating since 1858. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/fraserburgh-lifeboat-station
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Billy Watson, Lifeboat Press Officer, [email protected]
Stuart Fenty, Lifeboat Press Officer, [email protected]
Richard Smith, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Scotland, 07826 900639, [email protected]
Martin Macnamara, RNLI Regional Media Manager 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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