Moray Inshore Rescue Organisation lifeboat damaged during offshore incident
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A lifeboat belonging to local volunteers suffered “catastrophic damage” during a recent rescue at sea.
The gearbox on MIRO Rescue was badly damaged in difficult conditions north of Lossiemouth as the Moray Inshore Rescue Organisation (MIRO) crew were about to return to Findhorn.
At 4.05am on Wednesday, July 26, MIRO was paged by the UK Coastguard after a yacht ran aground between Lossie and Findochty. MIRO’s volunteers launched MIRO Rescue at 4.15am from Findhorn Marina. A passenger ship had reported a sighting of the yacht four miles north of Lossie - MIRO Rescue raced to the search area against a large sea swell. Macduff RNLI Lifeboat located the damaged yacht four miles north of Spey Bay then, as MIRO Rescue was about to return to Findhorn, it suffered damage to the port engine gearbox. The crew returned under one engine, arriving back at the marina at 8.30am.
MIRO operations manager, Peter Mackenzie, said: “We declared MIRO Rescue unavailable to the UK Coastguard. A new gearbox was ordered, delivered and fitted by our mechanical team. MIRO Rescue was returned to service within 48 hours.”
He added: “We responded to our next emergency call out on the afternoon of Tuesday, August 1. We had been paged by the UK Coastguard following a 999 call from a member of the public who reported paddle boarders being swept out to sea by the outgoing tide at Findhorn. MIRO’s crew recovered the casualties and their equipment onto Rescue.
“At this point, the crew observed a second unrelated incident - two swimmers in difficulty, one of whom had reached the sandbank but the second was holding on to the starboard marker in the channel of the bay. This casualty was also recovered onto MIRO Rescue and, with the paddle boarders and their boards, was returned safely to shore where they were met by Burghead Coastguard.”
MIRO volunteers are on call 24/7, 365 days a year, responding at any time of day. MIRO have responded to 16 emergency situations this year, incurring running costs for fuel, routine maintenance, and more.
“We do not receive government funding and rely on donations,” said MIRO chairman, John Low. “Unfortunately the damage to the gearbox required £5000. Fundraising is always a challenge but particularly so when there are unforeseen expenses.”
For more information visit www.morayinshorerescue.org.
