Rescue

<![CDATA[ On Saturday afternoon, the sound of the increasing wind was drowned out by helicopter noise. The Coastguard helicopter Hotel Lima was hovering low over the Newton Basin. Below it lay a boat which had turned over. It is (as yet) not clear what caused the yacht to topple. At the time, there was a blustery wind force 5 from the south. We often hear of helicopter rescues hundreds of miles from land. This one was yards from land. Fortunately, the yachtsman appeared to be unhurt, though shaken.

The Stornoway lifeboat "Tom Sandersen" had to come out to recover the wreck of the boat, which was drifting out of the Newton Basin under the influence of the falling tide and the wind. The boat was put ashore on Goat Island and looked over by the lifeboat crew.

No further news has come through about the exact circumstances of this incident, which took place under the nose of the Coastguards in the Coastguard Station, which stands at the end of Newton Basin. ]]>