Lifeboat called twice in a day
THE volunteer crew of Oban lifeboat was called out twice in 12 hours last week.
The first incident began shortly after 1pm on Tuesday February 21 when the Mora Edith MacDonald responded to a commercial fishing vessel with a fouled propeller close to Inversanda Bay in Loch Linnhe.
Due to strengthening southerly winds, Stornoway Coastguard transmitted a Pan Pan urgent broadcast to request assistance from vessels in the area until the lifeboat arrived.
As the lifeboat was proceeding to the area, a fish farm support vessel, Orcadia II, responded and dispatched a work boat to assist the drifting vessel.
Oban lifeboat arrived at 1.50pm and quickly passed a tow line and drogue. The fishing vessel was then taken in tow to a mooring in the Sound of Shuna, where the vessel was secured shortly before 3pm. Oban lifeboat then returned to station and was ready for service again by 4pm.
The second incident took place just under four hours later.
At 7.50pm assistance was again requested by Stornoway Coastguard, this time to assist the Scottish Ambulance Service with a medical transfer from the Isle of Mull of a 57-year- old male suffering from chest pains.
The lifeboat left Oban at 8.30pm and arrived at Craignure by 9pm where the paramedics transferred the patient to the lifeboat. The lifeboat then took the casualty to Oban where he was transferred to an ambulance which took him to Lorn and the Isles Hospital.