North Berwick and Kinghorn RNLI launched to sinking vessel

Heading into a short, sharp 1.5m wind driven swell, North Berwick lifeboat was on scene half an hour after launch finding the casualty vessel partially submerged but pushed hard aground on rocks by the westerly conditions.

Whilst there was a marker buoy nearby, which could have been mistaken for a person in the water, both lifeboats started a search of the immediate area whilst Coastguard Rescue Teams carried out inquiries ashore.

Kinghorn Lifeboat, which was designated on-scene coordinator carried out a search of the waters in the immediate vicinity of the casualty vessel whilst North Berwick Lifeboat carried out a shoreline search from Aberlady Bay to Cockenzie harbour.

The search was stood down once Aberdeen Coastguard were content that no-one was in the water with the lifeboats departing the scene at 11am.

In any coastal emergency, dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

Notes to Editors

• It cost £1,360 a year to train each crew member in the lifesaving skills they need to answer the call for help
• In 2025 the RNLI spent £196.9M delivering its lifesaving service.
• Across the UK, Ireland and the Channel Islands, RNLI lifeboat crews based out of 238 lifeboat stations helped 8,290 people and saved 272 lives as the charity’s lifeboats launched more than 9,000 times in 2025, making it the sixth-busiest year in the charity’s history. More here

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Natasha Rushby, 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]

Key facts about the RNLI

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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