RNLI volunteers who saved four fishermen in severe weather have received awards

Volunteers from Troon and Girvan lifeboat stations were given a standing ovation from more than 200 people when they received awards for a notable rescue.

The volunteers were invited to Perth on Thursday for an annual awards ceremony marking outstanding RNLI achievements in Scotland.

The awards were in recognition of an incident on 14 January 2015 when a 140-tonne trawler had fouled its propeller six miles off Troon in rapidly deteriorating weather conditions.

An account of the rescue was read out by Jon Knight, the RNLI’s Head of Lifesaving. He told the audience how Girvan’s Second Coxswain Gary McGarvie and Troon’s Coxswain Colin (Joe) Millar led their volunteer crews in a combined attempt to rescue the trawler.

One of the hardest elements of the rescue was bringing the trawler back into Troon harbour.

Mr Knight said, ‘The crews had to enter the harbour at speed while maintaining control of the trawler in powerful waves. With the walls either side of them, they only had one chance to get it right.

‘Despite the physical and mental challenges they had already faced, the lifeboat crews kept their concentration and safely brought the trawler in. The relieved crews stepped onto dry land after a gruelling 4.5 hours at sea.

‘After warming up, the Girvan crew headed back once more into the rough swell, 91mph winds and falling darkness for a three-hour trip back to their home town.’

Gary and Joe were presented with the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum by Charles Hunter-Pease, the RNLI’s Chairman.

A Framed Letter of Thanks from the Chairman of the Institution was presented to Girvan’s Barry Hubbard, Ian McClymont, Henry McMaster and John Tait. (Keith Woods was not able to attend the presentation)
Troon’s Trevor Boyes, Allan Craig and Paul Morledge also received the Framed Letter of Thanks.