The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Five paddleboarders rescued from River Tay by lifeboat crew
Five paddleboarders have been rescued from the River Tay after coming into difficulty in the water. The RNLI Broughty Ferry lifeboat team were called out to assist the group, who were uninjured but cold and scared, on Saturday.
They launched their inshore lifeboat, Oor Lifesaver, to the river just after 2pm.
Lifeboat volunteers quickly brought three of the paddleboarders back to shore, before returning to the waters near Broughty Castle to recover another two.
It is thought the paddleboarders became panicked due to lack of experience.
Murray Brown, coxswain at the lifeboat station, said: “At the back of two we were called out to somebody on a paddleboard who was having a bit of a panic attack.
“There were a whole group of them out there, so we went and lifted three of them to shore while one of our guys stayed with their boards then went back out to get them.
“There were another two round the side of the castle so we collected them as well.
“I think it was just a bit of inexperience on their part – it is a big river so I understand why you might get scared while out on it.”
Murray and his crew were called out to a similar incident recently.
He added: “We had another group of paddleboarders in St Andrews last week, so it is becoming a bit of an issue.
“Obviously folks are just wanting to go out and enjoy the water, so I would just say that if they’re not confident they should maybe stick to the harbour. There’s safety stuff out there as well that they can read, so just take the precautions and have a bit of common sense.”
There was a stark illustration at the weekend of just how vital the Broughty Ferry lifeboat is to the community. The crew of Oor Lifesaver had to make two trips out into the Tay to ensure a group of frightened paddleboarders could be brought safely ashore.
It was an operation carried out in textbook fashion, with the five people who found themselves in danger thankfully none the worse for their ordeal other than a little cold, wet and shaken.
But imagine there had been no lifeboat with its dedicated team ready and willing to take to the water at a moment’s notice to aid those in peril. As we have reported previously, our lifeboat is in desperate need of support. Fundraising has been particularly badly hit by the shutdown on society coronavirus has wrought over the last year.
It was heartening to share the news a few days ago that the hardpressed RNLI facility had received a £1,000 donation from the Dundee 41 Club, whose members dipped into their own funds to help out.
We can help our lifesaving heroes in two ways as the easing of coronavirus restrictions continues apace. Firstly, by using the opportunity to stage fundraising events, and secondly as the weather hopefully improves, by heeding the advice of coxswain Murray Brown to make sure we stay safe on the water.