Busy day for Tobermory RNLI

Tobermory lifeboat was tasked just before 9am on Thursday 15 October, by HM Coastguard after a member of the public reported a yacht hard aground in Loch Aline, 12 miles southeast of Tobermory. The volunteer crew made best speed to the location, where Salen and Kilchoan Coastguard Rescue Teams were on scene. The all-weather lifeboat's daughter craft, the Y boat, was launched and crew boarded the grounded yacht to check for persons onboard. With no one found, HM Coastguard tasked both Tobermory and Oban lifeboats to perform a shoreline search. Oban's crew searched the shoreline to the south of the entrance to Loch Aline whilst Tobermory's crew searched the shoreline of Loch Aline. Coastguard helicopter Rescue 899 from Oban also searched the area. With nothing found, lifeboat and helicopter crews were stood down at 2.30pm. The Elizabeth Fairlie Ramsey returned to Tobermory where she was refuelled and made ready for service by 4pm.

Just few hours later at 7pm the pagers sounded again. HM Coastguard tasked the lifeboat to assist a lone sailor 4 miles northwest of Tobermory, off Ardmore Point. The yachtsman had suffered an injury from a fall onboard his boat and required assistance. Two crew members were put aboard the vessel to administer casualty care and to sail the boat back to Tobermory, under escort by the lifeboat. The lifeboat and yacht were met by Tobermory Coastguard Rescue Team at the pontoons and the casualty passed into the care of the Scottish Ambulance Service. The lifeboat made ready for service by 9.15pm.

Coxswain Jenny Hampson said: 'This was a busy day with the volunteer crew spending a total of around eight and a half hours at sea after being tasked to two very different call-outs. Both shouts were great examples of multi-agency taskings, working closely with Oban lifeboat crew and our colleagues in other emergency services. We wish the casualty from the yacht a speedy recovery. Thank you to the member of the public for reporting the aground yacht. If you see someone in trouble in the sea or on the coast, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.'