'Shout' 11/20 - 'Aground'

DESCRIPTIONS OF LIFEBOAT CALL OUTS

Descriptions of the most recent launches of Helensburgh Lifeboat can be found on this page - follow the links at the foot of the page for details of previous lifeboat Launches.

Our Press Officer will have details of a shout immediately after the incident and, although we don't always succeed, we attempt to include details on the website asap.

12/01 - 5 Persons Rescued from Yachts in Rhu Marina (Tues 3rd Jan at 08:41 hrs)

At 08:41 hours, Clyde Coastguard requested the assistance of Helensburgh RNLI lifeboat crew as there were 5 persons on board yachts in Rhu Marina that required assistance to get ashore. The persons had been on board overnight and with storm force winds recorded, accompanied by a heavy sea running through the marina, were unable to get ashore. The extreme weather conditions had caused several yachts to break free from their berths in the marina and several vessels had sunk. As weather conditions were exceeding the lifeboat's operational limits, the lifeboat crew had to go out onto the marina walkways to assist; at times the walkways were moving vertically by some 1 metre making it extremely hazardous.

In very dangerous conditions 8 lifeboat crew members assisted the 5 persons ashore, at times having to proceed on hands and knees due to the violent movement of the walkways.

By about 0935 hours, all persons were safely ashore, and as a precaution an ambulance crew checked out 2 of the rescued persons. The wind direction was westerly with gusts of 61 knots recorded in the marina.

Cancelled Launch - Man in Water at Greenock Waterfront (Tuesday 13th December at 21:45 hrs)

At 21:45 hrs the lifeboat crew was paged as Clyde Coastguard had received a report that there was a man in the water at the Greenock waterfront. While the crew was assembling however, the shout was cancelled as Fire & Rescue had managed to get the casualty out of the water by undertaking a shoreside rescue.

11/33 - Vessel Requiring Assistance? - Cove (Wed 30th Nov at 12:10 hrs)

Clyde Coastguard paged a 'Launch Request' at 12:03 hrs after receiving a 999 call from a member of the public who reported that a workboat, the 'Mighty Mo', appeared to be adrift and heading ashore in the vicinity of the Cove Sailing Club. Shortly after launch however, the ILB crew was asked to return to base as Kilcreggan Coastguard had managed to contact the crew of the vessel by mobile phone and had established that they were in no difficulty and did not require any assistance. The ILB therefore returned to base and reported ready for service again at 12:24 hrs