Major rescue operation launched for four youths paddleboarding in 40mph wind at Scots landmark
dailyrecord.co.ukFour youths were rescued by RNLI heroes after getting into difficulty while paddleboarding in 40mph winds on a Scots coast. Crews from Buckie's RNLI team in Aberdeen were scrambled to the incident in the waters off Clullen Bay, Near Moray, after being alerted by the Coastguard at 3.45pm on Saturday, April 6.
But as Storm Kathleen set in, strong-easterly winds of around 40 knots, the equivalent of around 46mph, the situation quickly changed with the lifeboat searching for four people near the Bow Fiddle Rock landmark.The RNLI Buckie’s William Blannin vessel arrived on the scene in around 10 minutes, locating two girls who had managed to stay on their paddleboard.A second pair were spotted in the water a few minutes later, with the crew successfully recovering another two “very cold and relieved youngsters”.They had been in the water for more than 20 minutes with just wetsuits on and were assessed by the crew’s carers before being checked over by the waiting Scottish Ambulance Service.
All four were given the all-clear and sent home.Anne Scott, lifeboat operations manager, said: “The RNLI urges people to check the weather forecast carefully before venturing out on the water, especially when paddle boarding.
Avoid offshore winds as you can easily be blown out to sea very quickly and offshore winds will tire you quickly when trying to return to shore.“Always wear a personal flotation device and suitable clothing for the forecasted conditions and always carry a means of calling for help.” Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
Read more on dailyrecord.co.uk
