Kyle RNLI rescue walker who was trapped on a cliff ledge for more than 24 hours

Kyle lifeboat Spirit of Fred. Olsen launched yesterday (Monday 22 May) at 1:20pm, after the UK Coastguard received a call from a hillwalker to say he had become trapped in the Kinloch Hourn area when walking around lunchtime on Sunday.

The lifeboat made best speed towards the scene where they met up with the Glenelg Mountain Rescue team who were to be transported into the area to begin a search at the last known location. At 4:00pm, the lifeboat dropped the mountain rescue team at the head of the loch, where there is no electronic communication signal of any form due to the remoteness, and then headed back out of the loch where they could establish communications with the Coastguard. Whilst speaking with the Coastguard, they received new information regarding the casualty’s position, therefore the lifeboat returned up the loch to extricate the mountain rescue volunteers.

The lifeboat then received a further update from the UK Coastguard to say the casualty could see the lifeboat but it was too far away to signal. The lifeboat crew began a systematic search of the area, and at 7:00pm they located the casualty who was trapped on a small ledge just above the waterline, where he had been stuck for more than 24 hours.

The lifeboat crew managed to reach the casualty and get him onboard, before then making their way back to Kyle where he was reunited with his very relieved family at 7:30pm.

A spokesperson for Kyle RNLI says: ‘This gentleman is an experienced walker who had unfortunately become trapped in an impossible situation, unable to go forward or back. Due to the location, he had no mobile signal from the time he had become trapped until Monday lunchtime, when he noticed he had a very weak one. He was then able to get in touch with the emergency services who launch a search and rescue operation. We regularly train with other rescue agencies and by working well with everyone involved, we were able to return him back to his family safely.’

Notes to editors

· Please credit the photos to Kyle RNLI

· It was an unusual shout for the lifeboat crew, as inshore lifeboat crews normally only spend 3-3.5 hours at sea at any one time before rotating crew, but due to the location and nature of this rescue, the crew onboard, were at sea for more than 6 hours

RNLI media contacts

Andrew MacDonald, Lifeboat Press Officer, 07748 707606, [email protected]

Natasha Bennett, RNLI Regional Media Officer for Scotland, 07826 900639, [email protected]

Martin Macnamara, RNLI Regional Media Manager for Scotland, 07920 365929, [email protected]

RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789

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