New lifeboat arrives in Oban
The new lifeboat to serve the maritime, coastal and island communities from Oban was piped into Oban Bay today (Sunday).
The Shannon class 13-50 The Campbell-Watson entered the bay from the north, passing the war memorial at 13.50. She was escorted by Tobermory’s Severn Class lifeboat Elizabeth Fairlie Ramsey and Oban’s current vessel, the Trent Class Mora Edith MacDonald.
A five strong crew from Oban had travelled to the RNLI’s headquarters and All-weather lifeboat centre at Poole in Dorset, setting sail on Wednesday to begin the passage north via stops in Cornwall and Ireland.
Coxswain Ally Cerexhe says, although the Shannon class vessels can be moved by road, the team was keen to sail the lifeboat to its new home:
‘The main reason for bringing the new lifeboat to Oban by sea was for us to get to know it.
‘Five of us have now had the privilege of spending several days at sea on the boat, learning all about her.
‘The first couple of days of the passage we had some very poor weather, and the boat handled it absolutely perfectly. So that helped build our confidence in the capabilities of the boat.’
For the coming months until the Spring, two RNLI lifeboats will be stationed at Oban. 14-23 Mora Edith MacDonald will remain on call to respond night and day, until the remaining members of the volunteer seagoing crew train up and qualify on The Campbell-Watson.
All images: Credit Stephen Lawson/RNLI
RNLI media contacts
For further information, please contact:
John Macgill Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for Oban RNLI on 07711 548672 or email [email protected]
Stephen Lawson Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for Oban RNLI on 07776 340629 or email [email protected]
Natasha Bennett, Regional Media Officer (Scotland), on 07826 900639 [email protected]
Martin Macnamara, Regional Media Manager (Scotland), on 07920 365929 or [email protected]
RNLI Press Office 01202 336789 or [email protected]
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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 142,700 lives.
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