Busy weekend for RNLI lifesavers
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LIFEBOAT crews in Ross and Cromarty had a very busy weekend after they were scrambled to two extensive searches in the space of 24 hours.
The RNLI lifeboats at Invergordon and North Kessock were first called out on Saturday evening when the alarm was raised after a kayaker was reported 90 minutes overdue.
The two lifeboats were called out at 7.55pm to help in the search for the sea kayaker, who had been travelling between Rosemarkie and Cromarty.
Coastguard teams and a search and rescue helicopter also took part in the search, amid fading light. But the search was stood down at 9.15pm when the kayaker got in touch to say he was safe and well.
The following evening the two lifeboats were scrambled again – this time to help search a huge area of coastline after a mayday call was received.
The two crews were called out just before 7pm to help Coastguard crews and rescue helicopters search 79 miles of shoreline and an area of the Moray and Cromarty Firths nearly 500 square kilometres in size. Coastguard teams carried out a shoreline search from Culbin all the way to Inverness, while lifeboat crews and helicopters scoured an area from Tarbat Ness lighthouse in the north to Munlochy Bay in the south and Burghead in the east.
"With the Mayday call coming from a VHF radio, within the Moray Firth broadcast area this was being treated as real and all efforts were made to locate the vessel in trouble," said an RNLI spokesman.
"With nothing located after extensive sea, land and air searches, the search was stood down pending further investigation at 11.15pm."
The Invergordon lifeboat crew’s charity Whisky Tasting Evening at the Novar Estate has been hailed a success after it helped to raise £2000 for the RNLI – despite team members missing much of the hotly-anticipated night when they were called out to Saturday’s kayak search.
The event, which was held with support from Balblair Distillery, was finished by the time they returned, but they were able to help tidy up.
