North Berwick RNLI search for kayakers in difficulty

The crew were alerted by their pagers at 3.36pm and quickly assembled, launching the lifeboat shortly after. The first informant believed that the kayakers had started paddling again, so whilst North Berwick Coastguard Rescue Team investigated on shore the lifeboat crew started a systematic search of the area including the islands offshore.

Helm, Hamish Barbour said ‘With no concrete information we started searching as if someone was in the water. The wind was a strong westerly, blowing off shore with the tide also flowing out towards the Bass Rock, so if a casualty had been in the water they’d have been traveling out towards open water’

Thankfully after covering an area over 15 nautical miles long the Lifeboat was stood down as it was confirmed that the kayakers had made it safely ashore.

In any coastal emergency dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard. Water users should use an appropriate method such as a handheld VHF marine radio or Personal Locator Beacon.

Notes to editors

• In 2023 RNLI lifeboats from 238 stations across the UK and RoI launched 9,192 times saving 355 lives, RNLI Lifeguards saved a further 151 lives, North Berwick launched 21 times.
• It cost £1,400 a year to train each crew member in the lifesaving skills they need to answer the call for help
• 97% of the RNLI’s frontline lifesavers are volunteers including over 5,700 lifeboat crew members.
• In 2022 it cost the RNLI £188M to run it’s charitable lifesaving service, 6 in 10 of the lifeboat launches were funded be generous supporters leaving the RNLI a gift in their will.

RNLI media contacts

Matthew Gibbons, Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer, North Berwick, [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]
24 hour RNLI Central Press Office, 01202 336789 or email [email protected]

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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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.