Lifeboat Crews Brave Violent Storm to Rescue Stranded Sailor

Last Friday, lifeboat crews in the Scottish Highlands were called to a perilous yacht rescue on Loch Aline as Storm Amy battered the region with extreme weather. The incident occurred around 8:30 pm, with Oban RNLI assisting the Tobermory lifeboat after the yacht had dragged its anchor and the man on board suffered a hand injury.

The rescue operation took place during an Amber weather warning, with gusts of up to 96mph recorded in the Inner Hebrides. Oban RNLI said the crew had to wait for nearly an hour for the winds to calm before they could attempt to tow the yacht to safety, as the man on board "refused to be evacuated from his vessel."

The team noted that it was easy to become disoriented in the "confused sea conditions" on the loch, with power cuts leaving the shoreline in darkness. After two attempts to make headway, the decision was made to cut the tow as the winds exceeded 65 knots. Oban lifeboat remained on the scene for over an hour, and the yacht was eventually able to hold position as the winds began to subside.

The dramatic rescue highlights the dangers faced by sailors during the height of Storm Amy, which caused widespread damage and left over 60,000 homes without power across Scotland.