Walker rescued on busy night for Ayrshire lifeboat crew
An Ayrshire lifeboat crew were called out four times in one night over the weekend as they helped keep people safe at sea.
A walker cut off by rising tide was rescued with help from the Ayr Coastguard Rescue team before two well-intended false alarms on Friday night, July 18.
Volunteers from the RNLI in Troon were called out to help for all three calls over the course of seven hours as well as one that, in the end, did not require their attendance starting at shortly after 5pm.
Rising tide near Newton Shore had caught the walker out and lifeboat crews as well as Ayr Coastguard Rescue Team made their way to the scene.
Working together, the lifeboat crew and coastguard helped the walker but to shore safely.
After returning to the lifeboat station, Troon RNLI were again called out at shortly after 7.15pm to a kayaker who may have been in difficulty near Ardrossan.
However, Ardrossan Coastguard Rescue Team were able to establish that the kayaker was not in any difficulty and the lifeboat crew was stood down before arriving.
Troon RNLI was called out again at shortly before 8.45pm after a report of two paddle boarders in difficulty near Craig Tara.
However, shortly after arriving on scene, the lifeboat crew and Ayr Coastguard Rescue Team found that they were not in any difficulty.
Finally, at just after midnight, the lifeboat crews were called out for a fourth time but, just moments after they arrived at the lifeboat station, they were stood down.
Following the callouts, Troon RNLI lifeboat operations manager Jim Redmond said: "Walking along the coast is a very safe activity most of the time.
"Our advice is to always take a means of calling for help and to check the tides as they vary throughout the month and can easily catch you out if you haven't checked them.
"Always let someone know where you are going and when you expect to be back
"We would always recommend to members of the public if they get into difficulty or see anyone who they think is in difficulty to call 999 and ask for the coastguard."
A spokesperson for Troon RNLI said: "Friday, July 18 turned into a busy evening after several callouts for our volunteer RNLI lifeboat crew.
"At 5.04pm the first callout took place when Belfast Coastguard paged crew to assist with a casualty cut off by a rising tide near Newton Shore. The crew attended the lifeboat station and RNLI D class inshore lifeboat 'Sheena' was soon launched to assist.
"With Ayr Rescue Coastguard Team also attending, initial contact was made with the casualty by the coastguard team as the inshore lifeboat arrived.
"Once on scene an assessment was undertaken and it was deemed more appropriate for the coastguard team to assist the casualty and the inshore lifeboat stood by should there be any further developments.
"With the casualty assisted by the coastguard team, the inshore lifeboat returned to Troon where it was made ready for service.
"Not long after the lifeboat crew had returned home at 7.17pm, Belfast Coastguard paged the crew as a member of the public believed a kayaker may be in difficulty near North Shore Ardrossan.
"The crew assembled and D class inshore lifeboat 'Sheena' was once again launched as Ardrossan Coastguard Rescue Team made their way to assist from the shore.
"Before the arrival of the inshore lifeboat, the Coastguard team were able to confirm that the kayaker was not in difficulty so the lifeboat was able to return to the station.
"As the crew returned home once again to get some dinner at 8.42pm, Belfast Coastguard activated the crew pagers. "Members of the public contacted the Coastguard reporting two paddle boarders in difficulty near to Craig Tara, south of Ayr.
"The all-weather lifeboat 'RNLB Roy Barker VI' was launched and made its way to the scene alongside the Ayr Coastguard Rescue Team.
"On arrival on scene, it was ascertained along with coastguard team that all was in order and that no assistance was required so the lifeboat crew returned to station where the lifeboat was made ready for service.
"The lifeboat crew headed home, and to bed, but the pagers were again activated by Belfast Coastguard just after midnight on Saturday, July 19 to launch both the inshore and all-weather lifeboats.
"As the crew arrived at the station, Belfast Coastguard informed the crew the lifeboats were no longer required so the volunteers returned home to bed!
"Don't forget that its our annual lifeboat station Open Day on Saturday 26 July 2025 from 11am - 4pm."
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