Oban Lifeboat does 96 miles on two false alarms

Last night (20th July 2010) Oban Lifeboat steamed a total of 96 miles on two separate shouts – neither of which came to anything.

The Mora Edith Macdonald launched first at 17.47 hours, following the word Mayday being heard in a calm, male voice – no other message followed and the word was not repeated.

The lifeboat searched the Sound of Kerrera, Loch Spelve, the Craignure area and the shores of Lismore before returning to Oban where she was refuelled and ready for service again at 20.25 hours.

Three hours later she launched at 23.29 hours in response to reports of two red flares seen to the south of the Ross of Mull in the Carsaig area. (She must have seen the tugs taking the Yeoman Bontrup past Dubh Artach on the way round into The Minch. The tow was in that sea area at the same time.)

After searching the area thoroughly and finding nothing, the lifeboat was stood down at 01’25 hours when she returned to station and was refuelled and ready for service again at 03.06 hours.

As well as the sea miles covered, the crew did over two and a half hours on the first trip and three and three quarter hours on the second.

That’s a pretty stiff night’s work and it’s the hidden part of the work of the volunteer crew – the frustration of spending long hours on the wild goose chases that you can never afford to ignore.