Girvan Lifeboat launches into storm Boelo

At 00:37hrs Sunday 25th October, Girvan Lifeboat's volunteer crew were paged for immediate launch, with the full force of storm Boelo hitting the country, and the worst of the storm hitting as we were paged.

With the local weather around girvan harbour area between Force 11 wind (classified as a Violent Storm) and upwards of Force 12 (classified as a hurricane) our volunteer crew didn't hesitate and were soon arriving at the lifeboat station.

Information passed to our duty Coxwain and crew by our launch authorities was a person in the water at Ayr, with no time to lose our crew were making their way weaving over the debris on the jetty brought by the storm and high tide out to the Shannon Class all-weather Lifeboat 'Elizabeth and Gertrude Allan'

With the engines started, ropes dropped Girvan Lifeboat left her berth and headed out of sight, shortly after launching, a cancel launch was received along with a stand down request from Belfast Coastguard, with this The lifeboat turned around and headed back to the harbour and was back alongside our berth and securely tied up and our crew after debriefing all returned home to their beds.

Lifeboat Operations Manager John Gourlay, said of the launch it's a testament to the crew of Girvan Lifeboat, that without question or hesitation answered the call and went to sea at the height of storm Boelo, and like all lifeboat crews up and down the country who would do the exact same, we're always ready when the call for help comes in.

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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