Portree RNLI see afternoon tea and two launches in busy weekend
It was a busy 12 hour period for the volunteers of Portree RNLI over the weekend with the lifeboat being called upon twice to launch, and once to attend an Afternoon Tea at a neighbouring lifeboat station.
Flanking station Kyle of Lochalsh RNLI held their 30th anniversary Afternoon Tea celebrations on Saturday 21 June, with lifeboats from Portree RNLI and Mallaig RNLI also in attendance.
On the return back to the Skye capital from the anniversary event, Portree lifeboat Stanley Watson Barker received a tasking from HM Coastguard at 5.50pm following a report of a yacht in difficulty in the Sconser area.
The Trent class all-weather lifeboat made best speed towards the scene, where the volunteer crew discovered that the yacht had been taken under tow by a local rib and was secured to a mooring.
After ensuring that all was well, the Portree RNLI lifeboat was stood down and continued its return to Portree.
Just under 12 hours later, the volunteers were once again paged by HM Coastguard (3.55am on Sunday 22 June 2025) in response to a report of a missing person in Portree.
Portree RNLI lifeboat Stanley Watson Barker, along with the smaller boarding boat, launched on service and both vessels commenced a search of Portree bay.
During this initial search, the RNLI lifeboat was informed that the missing person had been found by the HM Coastguard rescue team. The volunteers of Portree RNLI were stood down and returned to the station.
Portree RNLI coxswain, Stuart Nicolson, said:
'It was a busy weekend for the crew, particularly with the 2nd shout in 12 hours being very early in the morning, but both launches ended in positive outcomes. The crew also enjoyed the visit down to our flanking station in Kyle and congratulate them on their 30th anniversary.
'The RNLI volunteers, wherever they might be based, are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, and are ready to respond to calls for help – even during Afternoon Teas!'
As a charity, the RNLI relies on donations to provide the lifesaving service it does. It has been saving lives at sea for over 200 hundred years.
ENDS
Notes to editors
- All photos in this press release are credited to Portree RNLI.
- Portree Lifeboat Station was established in 1991 and operates a Trent class all-weather lifeboat – ‘Stanley Watson Barker’. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/portree-lifeboat-station
RNLI media contacts
For further information, please contact:
Robert MacInnes, Lifeboat Press Officer at Portree RNLI: 07950 421829 / [email protected]
Natasha Rushby, 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 or [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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