6 hours at Sea for Girvan Lifeboat in 2nd callout of the weekend

For the 2nd time this weekend, at 14:39 today, Sunday 27th April, Girvan Lifeboats volunteer crew's 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 accessing the situation, being that the fishing vessel did not have the ability to steer 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 3 hours of towing later when nearing the port, RNLI Troon Lifeboat 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.

Photos Courtesy of Troon RNLI

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity 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 146,000 lives.

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