Pontefract dive club with locinver all weather life boat.
Pontefract 1 was hailed by the coastguard helicopter after the clubs new radio had picked up a mayday call and switched itself to emergency channel 16. The boat was asked too assist two canoeist’s in the water so we headed at full throttle to the position given. The new communications and navigation systems recently installed worked brilliantly.
Rob Holgate, Deputy Chairman
Date: 05/06/2011
Author: Andrew Stewart, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer
Lochinver RNLI Lifeboat launched at 01:25 pm on 05 June 2011 to help with the rescue of a canoeist who had reportedly fallen out of their canoe and was thought to be in difficulty in the water around the Summer isles, West of Ullapool.
A concerned member of the public had witnessed the incident from the shore and dialled 999 to alert the coastguard. Stornoway Coastguard Rescue Coordination Centre relayed a Mayday distress call to any boats in the vicinity, requesting their assistance. A number of small boats were able to respond to the call, one of which successfully recovered the canoeist from the water whilst another recovered the canoe and both were then taken ashore.
The Stornoway Coastguard helicopter was also in the area, having already rescued a fallen walker from the hills nearby. The helicopter landed so the crew could offer first aid to the canoeist. Their condition was thought to be of sufficient concern that the crew of the helicopter decided to proceed to Raigmore hospital in Inverness, a journey of about 30 minutes.
One of the small boats, a rigid inflatable that had assisted in recovery of the canoe then themselves reported engine problems when returning back to their point of origin at Ardmair Bay. The Lochinver RNLI lifeboat was requested to escort them in case further assistance may become necessary. The RIB was subsequently able to resolve their problems and once joined by their partner boat, they were able to return to Ardmair together unassisted.
Pontefract 1 call sign "PO1" assisted the Canoeist's, crewed by Rob, Andy & Emma.
Ken Palmer & Alan Goodenough’s boat call sign Triton assisted the mountain rescue, crewed by Ken, Alan, Marie, Kate and local PADI instructor Sam.