Buckie Lifeboat rescues kayaker in distress

The alarm was raised at 3.50pm and the lifeboat put to sea ten minutes later with a volunteer crew of seven led by coxswain Davie Grant. Arriving on scene, it transpired the casualty and his colleague had self-rescued onto the rocks but were now stranded there.

The lifeboat’s small inflatable daughter craft, the ‘Y-boat’, was launched and her two crew went ashore onto the rocks.

The casualty had been enjoying a kayak outing in company but had experienced chest pains and was now also assessed as hypothermic. He was transferred by the Y-boat to the Severn-class lifeboat William Blannin to receive casualty care and to be transported back to Buckie.

Two casualty-care specialists from the lifeboat crew treated the gentleman while the lifeboat radioed for an ambulance and made best speed back to port. Casualty care continued on board and in the lifeboat station while the gentleman was stabilised in preparation for transport by road; during this period, Scottish Ambulance paramedics arrived and took over care of the casualty before transferring him to hospital for further treatment.

Coxswain Davie Grant paid tribute to his crew’s excellent work, singling out the two casualty care crewmembers for special praise.

“The entire crew performed superbly, assembling, launching, and bringing the casualty aboard in the fastest possible time. Two of our casualty carers, Louise and Carl, gave outstanding service, treating and supporting the gentleman for over an hour to stabilise him for transfer to the ambulance.”

Ironically, coxswain Grant had texted the whole crew just twenty minutes before the alarm was raised, sending the prescient message ‘It’s a scorching weekend; watch your pagers – our chances of a shout must be high’. How right he was.

The crew washed down and refuelled both lifeboats and, after debrief, dispersed around 6.00pm.

RNLI Buckie’s operations manager, Anne Scott, says: “As temperatures rise and holiday-makers arrive to enjoy our beautiful coastal waters, we hope everyone can do so in safety. If going afloat, do what these two gentlemen did - in case unexpected problems arise. Check the weather and tides, tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return, wear a lifejacket or buoyancy aid, and carry a means of calling for assistance if you need it – a mobile phone in a waterproof pouch, for example.”

Further information from

Terry McNeill, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, Tel 07941 329798 Email: [email protected]

Natasha Bennett, RNLI Media Officer (Scotland), Tel 07826 900639

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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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