Girvan Lifeboat launched to Distress Flare Sightings

This afternoon at 15:45 our volunteer crew's pagers rang out around town, assembling at the lifeboat station, details passed to us we're multiple 999 calls for multiple sightings of red distress flares.

With this information our Shannon Class all-weather lifeboat 'Elizabeth and Gertrude Allan' was soon launched and leaving the lifeboat berth and making best speed North towards Turnberry, a PAN PAN was also issued by Belfast Coastguard which is an international distress signal, this was broadcast alerting all vessels in the area.

On arrival on scene our crew communicated with the Martime Rescue Coordination Centre in Belfast, information was the distress flares looked to be around 300m South of Turnberry point, with HM Coastguard Girvan CRT Ballantrae Coastguard Rescue Team also on scene we began a search of the area for persons in the water or vessel debris as at this time it was unknown what had transpired.

With Belfast Coastguard and local CRT teams making further enquiries, speaking to the first informant and potential witnesses, staff from the local hotel and golf resort reported seeing kids setting off the red distress flares from the shore.

With this information confirmed, the PAN PAN was cancelled and ourselves and the Coastguard rescue teams were stood down.

The incident will remain with HM coastguard and potentially Police Scotland to deal with in due course.

Girvan lifeboat Press Officer said of the incident, It is important for the people concerned to understand that they are carrying out an act exactly the same as making a hoax "999" call. This action could have serious consequences if someone was in genuine need of assistance while we were dealing with a false call. We would once again like to thank the members of the public who dialled 999 to contact the Coastguard to report the original sightings of the distress flares."

Setting off distress flares as a hoax or firing them deliberately from land triggers major multi-agency responses, wastes precious RNLI and Coastguard resources, and puts volunteer lives at risk.

Flares and other safety pyrotechnics for use by mariners are dangerous and contain explosives, and are very dangerous if not used properly, much more powerful than an everyday firework, they can mame and even kill.

The Impact of Flare Hoaxes

*Endangered Lives:
*Forces volunteer lifeboat crews and rescue helicopters out into dangerous conditions for a false alarm.

Tied-Up Resources:

*Prevents emergency teams from responding to genuine, life-threatening emergencies elsewhere

Illegal Act: Considered a malicious criminal offense equivalent to making a false 999 call, carrying severe legal consequences.

So what should you do?

Always Report: The public should always dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard if they genuinely spot a red distress flare or believe someone to be in trouble at sea or along our coast, likewise if you find flares or ordinance along our coast, call the coastguard right away.

Crews would always rather launch and find everyone safe than risk missing a real casualty.

RNLI Media Contacts

For further information, please contact:

Craig Sommerville, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI Scotland, [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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