Distress beacon activation launches Girvan Lifeboat

This morning Monday 20th November at 03:24am Girvan Lifeboat's volunteer crew were paged for immediate launch to reports of an Emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) activation. These beacons send messages to satellites when people are in distress to let them know their location allowing them to be rescued, they are usually used or automatically activate when a vessel is sinking.

Within 12 minutes of being paged Girvan's All-weather Lifeboat, 'Elizabeth and Gertrude Allan' was heading past the pier end and out to sea.

Further communications from the UK Coastguard Martime Rescue Coordination Centre in Belfast provided the lifeboat crew a starting point for the search, our crew also used the direction finding equipment we have onboard the Shannon class lifeboat to try and seek out the cause of the activation and pinpoint it's location.

With the lifeboat searching the Girvan bay area and up as far as nearly Dunure and back, Coastguard Rescue Helicopter R199 from Prestwick was then also tasked to the incident and completed a search from Dunure down the coast and a thorough search of Girvan harbour area also utilising their own direction finding and other equipment.

By this time the distress signals had been narrowed down to within the general harbour area itself, the helicopter was retasked and headed off and the lifeboat made its way towards Girvan Harbour to work in conjunction with Girvan Coastguard Rescue Team to locate the beacon, crews and teams searched on the boats within the harbour, the boatyard, fishermans stores and surrounding area with nothing obvious found and satisfied that there was no vessel in distress the lifeboat returned to station at 05:40 and was made ready for the next service call, leaving Girvan Coastguard team to continue with their enquiries.

If you believe someone to be in trouble or see someone in difficulty along our coastline or at sea or even something thats just not right, don't hesitate, ☎️dial 999 and ask for the coastguard right away

You can support our lifesaving work by donating to us directly here at Girvan Lifeboat using our link below, the link is still active and you can help us reach our target https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Girvan-Lifeboat-Fundraising-2022

Key facts about the RNLI

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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