11th July 2009 Loch Ness
Family rescued and marathon canoeist pulled to safety on Loch Ness.A terrified family with five year old daughter were rescued after being driven onto rocks on Loch Ness following and engine failure on their cruiser this evening.
Loch Ness RNLI were busy completing the rescue of a long distance canoeist who had capsized near Urquhart Castle when they were tasked by Aberdeen Coastguard to search for a cruiser that had run onto rocks following a suspected gearbox failure.Volunteer crew members Neil Hillyard, Sandra Delday and Howie Whyte were recovering the kayak and belongings of Stuart Walker, who was in the middle of a mammoth trip from the Scilly Isles to Shetland, after he had been plucked to safety by Gordon Menzies in the tourist cruiser Morag no Chridhe. The RNLI team were directed by the MRCC (Maritime Rescue Control Centre) in Aberdeen to locate and assist the hire cruiser Eriskay with family members Dad David, Mum Janice, Grandmother Margaret and five year old daughter Rachel on board. The family's boat had suffered a power failure and had been driven onto a rocky shoreline one mile north of Drumnadrochit.In what has been described as very challenging conditions, the RNLI lifeboat Beatrice Dorothy transferred crewman Howie Whyte onto the stricken cruiser. After a check to see that the boat wasn't holed, it was taken under tow to Urquhart Harbour. Family member Janice Hill says..My mother-in law, daughter and myself were hysterical with fear. We thought that was it. Then we saw the RNLI lifeboat and realised help was coming. The lifeboatman, Howie, was so calming and friendly and made us feel really safe. Mother-in-law Margaret says ..I was ready to jump off the boat into the water I was so terrified. The family hope to continue their holiday tomorrow when they are given a replacement hire boat. They will be visiting the lifeboat station tomorrow and hope to meet the crew and see the facilities that enabled their rescue.
Canoeist Stuart Walker did not need medical treatment but is considering whether to continue his epic journey.
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