Fall at South Sutor on Cromarty Firth triggers double rescue launch for Highland RNLI volunteers

VOLUNTEERS with a Highland lifeboat crew embarked on a double rescue yesterday – their first shout of 2022.

The drama unfolded on Sunday afternoon when RNLI Invergordon crew pagers sounded with an alert from the UK Coastguard’s Aberdeen operations over reports of a male who had fallen down several feet into rocks on the South Sutor.

The crew assembled and Shannon class lifeboat RNLI Agnes AP Barr RNLI 13-37 headed up the Cromarty Firth and round the South Sutor, one of two headlands marking the entrance to the Firth.

The search began for a male who had slipped on the screed hillside and landed on rocks below, with potential injuries, found the casualty.

The Shannon’s inflatable daughter craft was deployed with two first aid crew on board to assess the situation.

With "minor injuries" reported, the casualty was evacuated to the all-weather lifeboat which made best speed back to an awaiting ambulance waiting at Cromarty Harbour, where he was fully accessed by the Scottish Ambulance Service crew.

With Kessock RNLI also on scene, the all-weather lifeboat then made the trip back to the scene to collect the two crew members who had returned to the shore to undertake another rescue.

This time however it was "an eager but slightly panicked" spaniel called Hunter who was patiently waiting to be reunited with his owner.

With Hunter reunited safely at Cromarty Harbour with his owner, the lifeboat was released from service and made the journey back to her Invergordon West Harbour berth.

The lifeboat was washed down, refuelled, cleaned to Covid-19 guidelines, and made ready for service shortly after 5:30pm.

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