Three lifeboat teams and two helicopters were called out to rescue people cut off by the tide last night.
The major rescue effort has promoted renewed calls to take extra care around the water while the COVID-19 lockdown is in force.
Volunteer lifeboat crews from Helensburgh, Tighnabruaich and Largs were paged to assist in the search for two people reported to be cut off by the tide in an unknown location.
Police Scotland alerted local coastguard to a report of two people cut off by a rising tide, in an unknown location, having driven themselves roughly 20 minutes from Dunoon to go for a walk.
The lifeboats, coastguard rescue teams and police officers on ground and water were joined by both coastguard and police helicopters.
Once the search was well underway, police found the car and then the people themselves – they were brought ashore and checked by local coastguard teams before being escorted back to Dunoon by Police Scotland.
All three RNLI lifeboats were stood down and able to return to their stations where they were washed down, refuelled and made ready for their next service.
Michael Avril, regional water safety lead for the RNLI in Scotland, said afterwards: “We have, of course, had to change the way in which we operate, to ensure our crews are as safe as possible.
“Volunteers and staff only attend the lifeboat station now if absolutely, operationally, necessary.
“However, we are still on hand 24/7 to respond when tasked by the coastguard.
“We are asking the public to be mindful of this and to take extra care when around the water until the lockdown measures have been lifted by the government.
“If our crews are paged, it means they have to break social distancing, putting themselves at risk”.
Leave a Reply