Oban RNLI’s lifeboat was called-out twice in four hours on Monday to a yacht aground at the entrance to Loch Creran and a small vessel adrift in Oban Bay.
The all-weather lifeboat, Mora Edith MacDonald’s first call by HM Coastguard was to a 34ft yacht that was hard aground on the Eriska reef at the entrance to Loch Creran.
After being tasked by the HM Coastguard, the Oban lifeboat was launched at 2:37pm on Monday and arrived at the entrance to Loch Creran at 3pm.
Once the lifeboat had arrived on the scene and communications had been established with the casualty vessel, it was confirmed there were no injuries amongst the yacht’s crew and that there was no sign of damage to the vessel.
The decision was taken to standby and wait on the incoming tide to float the casualty vessel off the reef.
Once the yacht was afloat at 4:42pm and checked for any damage, the crew of the yacht confirmed that all was well and continued their passage to Oban, with the volunteer lifeboat crew returning to the station.
However, the Oban lifeboat was tasked for the second time on Monday just hours later. after receiving a report from a member of the public that a small vessel was adrift in Oban Bay.
The vessel was an 18ft Dory that appeared to have broken free of its mooring and was drifting towards the middle of the bay where it would have become a hazard to shipping.
Oban RNLI informed Stornoway Coastguard of this and the Trent class lifeboat was launched to recover the casualty vessel and return it to a mooring at Oban Sailing Club.
Following the completion of this service, the volunteer crew continued to carry out their routine Monday training.
If you see someone in trouble at the coast, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.
Know what to do – visit https://www.rnli.org/safety