01/09/2026
๐จ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐น - ๐ฏ๐ญ/๐ฌ๐ด/๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฒ ๐จ
What began as a routine training night for Stranraer RNLIโs volunteer crew quickly turned into the real thing, when the inshore lifeboat was diverted to assist a yacht in difficulty in the south of Loch Ryan.
At 2025 hours, 31/08/2026, while the crew were already afloat carrying out their weekly exercise, they were tasked by the UK Coastguard following a call from a member of the public reporting a yacht in difficulty.
Training was immediately brought to a halt and the volunteer crew turned the lifeboat towards the yachtโs last known position.
On arriving at the scene, the crew located the yacht, which appeared to have gone aground. The yachtโs sole occupant had by this stage disembarked into a small tender.
With darkness setting in, the Stranraer ILB crew recovered the casualty from the tender and brought him safely aboard the lifeboat before returning him to Stranraer Marina.
At approximately 2300 hours, with the tide coming back in, Stranraer ILB relaunched on service and headed back across Loch Ryan to the yacht.
On arrival, the crew carried out an assessment and found that the incoming tide had successfully refloated the vessel. With conditions allowing, the yachtโs occupant was returned safely to his vessel.
The lifeboat remained on scene, standing by as the yacht made its way into safer water before dropping anchor in a secure position.
Only once the crew were satisfied that both the vessel and its occupant were safe and well did Stranraer ILB stand down and make the journey back across Loch Ryan. The lifeboat and equipment were checked, refuelled and made ready to respond to the next call.
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ข ๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐ฟ๐๐ฌ๐๐ง ๐ฃ๏ธ
โIt certainly wasnโt how I expected my first exercise as helm to go! One minute we were carrying out our normal training and the next the Coastguard had tasked us to a real incident.
โThere are obviously a few nerves when that first call comes in and you realise youโre the one at the helm, but the training kicks in straight away. I had a great crew with me and everyone knew exactly what they had to do.
โIt was a really good feeling to get the casualty safely back to Stranraer and then, later in the evening, to be able to return him to his yacht once it had refloated and make sure he was safely anchored.
โPassing out as a helm last Wednesday was a proud moment for me, so to have my first service call less than a week later was definitely a night I wonโt forget. It also shows why we train every week. You never know when an exercise is suddenly going to turn into the real thing.โ
Also in attendance was Stranraer coastguard, HM Coastguard - Portpatrick, HM Coastguard - Drummore, Ballantrae Coastguard Rescue Team
