Scottish lifeboats see busiest summer for six years

By FRANK URQUHART
Published on 19/09/2012 10:56

SCOTLAND’S lifeboat crews have had their busiest summer for call outs for six years, according to a new report by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution

• Lifeboats were launched an average of nearly five times a day between June and September

• RNLI’s 46 stations in Scotland responded to 417 emergency calls; a four per cent increase on 2011 and their highest since 2006

Scottish crews launched their lifeboats an average of almost five times a day between June and September.

The RNLI’s 46 stations in Scotland responded to a total of 417 emergency calls during the three summer months - an incease of four per cent on 2011 and their highest total since a record 462 call outs in 2006.

An RNLI spokesman said: “The increase in activity coincided with a period of good weather along the west coast of Scotland, where the stations were busier than normal. Much of the rest of Scotland endured a wet summer and there were fewer call-outs for some of the stations.

“The busiest station in the summer was Troon with 25 shouts, an increase of three on 2011. The busiest inshore station was Queensferry where the volunteers had 21 shouts, a drop of four compared with 2011.

“Significant increases were experienced by the RNLI at its stations in Largs, Mallaig, Tobermory, Campbeltown, on the west coast. The charity’s newest lifeboat station, at Leverburgh on the Isle of Harris, had seven shouts.”

He added: “One of the more unusual challenges faced by RNLI volunteers occurred at the end of the Summer when a large pod of pilot whales came ashore at Anstruther. The RNLI joined other emergency services in trying to save the whales.”

Paul Jennings, the RNLI’s Divisional Inspector for Scotland, said, “Once again our volunteer lifeboat crews in Scotland have shown that they are committed and courageous individuals, on stand by to save lives at sea come rain or shine.

“Behind the crews are a huge team of volunteers, the station management volunteers, shore helpers and fundraisers, to whom we owe our thanks for ensuring that the RNLI can keep on saving lives at sea.”