Latest news with #ShannonClassLifeboat


Daily Record
6 days ago
- Daily Record
Late night emergency response in search for missing person
Police, the coastguard and the RNLI were all involved in a search for a missing person last night, Wednesday, July 16. A multi-agency response was launched last night after a person was reported missing. Volunteers from the RNLI in Girvan and Stranraer were called out shortly before 7.40pm to join the police, coastguard and Galloway Mountain Rescue in the search. Lifeboat crews were tasked with searching an area from Ballantrae to Loch Ryan in a bid to find the person. Multiple Coastguard Rescue Teams alongside police and the police helicopter searched onshore while the lifeboats combed the coastline. Shortly before midnight, the Coastguard's Rescue 199 helicopter departed Prestwick Airport to join the search. However, within minutes of the helicopter taking off, good news was received as the person has been traced. A spokesperson for Girvan RNLI said: "At 7.39pm on Wednesday, July 16, Girvan's volunteer lifeboat crew were requested to launch by Belfast Coastguard to assist in a multi agency search for a missing person. "With our crew assembling at the lifeboat station, information received was to head South and begin searching at Ballantrae towards the Loch Ryan area. "Our all-weather Shannon Class Lifeboat 'Elizabeth and Gertrude Allan' was soon leaving her berth and heading down the coast to join our colleagues from Stranraer RNLI Lifeboat who were paged earlier in the evening. "Once on scene both lifeboats were completing sweeps of the shoreline and water from Ballantrae right round past Cairnryan and up the opposite side of the loch and round and further South. "Multiple searches were completed into darkness using spotlights and night vision equipment, all whilst multiple Coastguard Rescue Teams searched the shore and other areas along with officers from Police Scotland, who earlier had searched areas with the police helicopter . "With darkness now well and truly here, Coastguard helicopter Rescue 199 had left Prestwick and was heading South to join us in the search. "Within moments of this, further information was received that the person had been located by police and Coastguard teams. "Given this, all assets were stood down, ourselves and Stranraer RNLI headed for home. Girvan Lifeboat arrived back on station around 12.15am in the early hours of Thursday morning where our crew then got the boat washed and refuelled before they could head home to their beds. "If you see or believe someone to be in trouble at sea or along our coast, dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard." Stranraer RNLI duty launch authority Antony Simpson said: 'This was a strong example of teamwork across agencies. Our RNLI volunteers from Stranraer and Girvan showed great dedication as always, responding quickly and professionally to support the search.'


Daily Record
14-07-2025
- General
- Daily Record
Two men and a dog help RNLI with speedboat rescue
Two men and a dog in a canoe helped RNLI Girvan to bring a broken down speedboat safely back to shore at Dunure harbour. Two men and a dog in a canoe have been hailed as "superstars" after helping an Ayrshire lifeboat crew to safely bring a broken down speedboat back to shore. Kieran McCubbin, James Bell and their dog assisted Girvan RNLI in brining the speedboat back to Dunure harbour as low tide approached late on Saturday night. Their was no guarantee that the lifeboat could safely make it into Dunure before heading back to Girvan before low tide so the helpful pair carried a rope back to the harbour so the awaiting coastguard rescue team could pull it in from the shore. Volunteers from the RNLI in Girvan were called out to a 15ft speedboat with two people on board which was drifting on Saturday. The coastguard had been alerted after the vessel had broken down shortly before 9.35pm and was adrift in the Firth of Clyde between Croy and Dunure. Arriving quickly on scene, the lifeboat crew ensured both occupants of the speedboat were safe before towing it back to Dunure. However, with low tide fast approaching, the lifeboat would not have been able to safely tow the vessel into the harbour and return to Girvan. Quick thinking by the crew, though, saw them obtain the help of two men and a dog in a canoe. The helpful men took a rope, attached to the speedboat at one end, from the lifeboat and carried it into the harbour where the awaiting coastguard rescue team could pull the speedboat back into the harbour. A spokesperson for Girvan RNLI said: "At 9.35pm on Saturday, July 12, Girvan Lifeboat's volunteer crew were paged to launch to a drifting 15ft speedboat that had broken down between Croy and Dunure. "With all crew assembling at the station, our all-weather Shannon Class Lifeboat 'Elizabeth and Gertrude Allan' was soon leaving her berth and making best speed North towards the casualty. "Once on scene ensuring both occupants were safe and well, the decision was made to take the small vessel under tow. "With the state of tide limiting entry back into Maidens or Dunure, some quick, out the box thinking came into play and we headed to Dunure. Just off of Dunure, we commandeered two helpful chaps and a dog in a canoe. "As the tide was too low for the lifeboat to take the casualty in, a rope was sent in with the two superstars and their dug on the canoe to the awaiting Coastguard Rescue teams, once they had this in hand the other end was attached to the casualty vessel and it was then pulled in by hand by the Coastguard Teams. "Once the casualty vessel was safely berthed, we retrieved the ropes back to the lifeboat and headed homeward back to Girvan, where the lifeboat was made ready for the next service call. "Thanks to our Coastguard colleagues for their exceptional tug of war skills, and to Kieran McCubbin and James Bell and not forgetting their dug for stepping up and assisting us with this rescue, we'll done lads."


Daily Record
28-04-2025
- General
- Daily Record
Injured pensioner rescued from Ayrshire beach as emergency services scrambled to scene
Girvan 's lifeboat crew were called out twice over the weekend to rescue an injured pensioner and a stricken vessel. A 76-year-old man was rescued in a "multi-agency recovery" after becoming injured during a beach clean up on Saturday, April 26 before a boat which had suffered a "mechanical failure" was towed back to Troon harbour on Sunday, April 27. Emergency services were called out to the injured beach cleaner north of Croy Shore at around 12.15pm on Saturday and coastguard rescue teams from Girvan and Ballantrae initially assisted the Scottish Ambulance Service to assess the casualty. The man had broken his leg on the beach and Girvan RNLI were called in to rescue him from the beach. He was then taken back to Girvan aboard the lifeboat, transferred ashore and handed back into the care of the Scottish Ambulance Service to be take to Crosshouse Hospital for treatment. Gary McGarvie, 2nd Coxwain, said: "This is the second such multi agency incident in a few weeks, where the safest and easiest way of extracting the casualty from the location has been by lifeboat. "We work constantly with other agencies as well as train with them, which makes incidents like this run very smoothly. "It shows the value we have to other agencies and emergency services as a valuable asset to assist them as well as attending our own rescues and various incidents. "Everyone at Girvan Lifeboat Station wishes the casualty a speedy recovery." The following day, the volunteers at Girvan RNLI were then called out at around 2.40pm to a stricken fishing vessel which was unable to steer following a "mechanical failure". Located northwest of Turnberry Lighthouse, the trawler was unable to sail safely around the rocky outcrop around the lighthouse. Girvan lifeboat crew took the vessel under tow and guided it safely back to Troon where repairs could be made. A spokesperson for RNLI Girvan said: "For the second time this weekend, at 2.39pm today, Sunday, April 27, Girvan Lifeboat's volunteer crews' pagers rang out and signalled an end to whatever our crewmembers had planned for the day. "Hastily dropping whatever they were doing, whether that be work, family time, having a meal out or literally just enjoying the weekend, our volunteer crew assembled at the lifeboat station for a briefing. "Details passed from Belfast Coastguard was that a 14.5m fishing vessel was North West of Turnberry lighthouse and the rocky outcrop it sits upon and that the trawler crew had lost their ability to steer the boat due to mechanical failure. "Making best speed North, Girvan's all-weather Shannon Class Lifeboat 'Elizabeth and Gertrude Allan' was soon on scene and assessing the situation. The decision was made to take the boat under tow. "To enable the fishing boat to undergo repairs, our crew began the long haul slowly towards the port of Troon. "Some three hours of towing later when nearing the port, RNLI Troon's D-Class lifeboat also launched in case assistance was needed berthing the boat. "However, in this instance the D-Class wasn't required and stood by and escorted Girvan Lifeboat and her casualty into port. "With the vessel berthed safely and handed into the care of the awaiting Coastguard Rescue teams, Girvan Lifeboat then headed home back towards Girvan at a more spritely pace than had seen it arrive at Troon, arriving back in Girvan at around 9pm where the lifeboat was washed, refuelled and made ready for the next service call. "If you see or believe someone to be in trouble at sea or along our coast dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard." Don't miss the latest Ayrshire headlines – sign up to our free daily newsletter