Two shouts and a Gala Day for Eyemouth lifeboat volunteers
Eyemouth and Berwick-upon-Tweed lifeboats called out on Eyemouth Gala day
Volunteers at Eyemouth RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) lifeboat station were preparing for their annual Gala Day on the morning of Saturday 26 August 2023 when they were called out to assist a fishing boat which had hit rocks south of Eyemouth harbour.
Both lifeboats, the all-weather ‘Helen Hastings’ and the inshore lifeboat ‘Sheila’ launched at around 9.23am. A RNLI crew member was put aboard the stricken vessel to assess the situation, it was then escorted safely back to Eyemouth harbour and the Eyemouth lifeboats stood down, allowing the volunteers to resume helping out at the Gala.
The Gala Day, held at Gunsgreen Quay, Eyemouth harbour, attracted large crowds of people for the lifeboat tours, BBQ and bar, live music, emergency vehicles, stalls and activities.
Crews from Eyemouth’s flanking RNLI stations, Dunbar and Berwick-upon-Tweed also visited to join in the Gala Day lifeboat tours and demonstrations, however the pagers went off again!
A 6 metre rigid inflatable boat (RIB) with 3 people on board had lost engine power while off the coast at Burnmouth, south of Eyemouth. The people on board were very impressed and surprised to see three lifeboats approaching them, however the Dunbar boat ‘John Neville Taylor’ returned home as it was not required.
The RIB was on way to Berwick so after assessing the situation the Berwick crew with their Atlantic 85 lifeboat towed the casualty vessel towards Berwick harbour, escorted by Eyemouth RNLB ‘Helen Hastings’.
The RIB engine managed to re-start, so the tow was able to be released and the vessel safely entered Berwick harbour escorted by the Berwick boat.
Eyemouth’s lifeboats were stood down and returned to Eyemouth harbour where the Gala Day festivities continued. The volunteer crew then swapped back to flipping burgers and showing visitors around the lifeboats!
Notes to editors
· Eyemouth lifeboat station has been operating since 1876. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/eyemouth-lifeboat-station
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