RNLI crew honoured for Cape Wrath rescue
Coxswain to receive Bronze Medal for Gallantry
The Coxswain of Lochinver lifeboat is to be honoured for saving the lives of four fishermen whose stricken boat was in danger of being swept onto rocks in gale force winds.
David MacAskill is to be awarded the Bronze Medal for Gallantry – one of the RNLI’s highest accolades.
Aided by six crew members - including his nephew and son - they rescued the fish carrier Norholm in December 2014.
The lifeboat braved 10 metre seas, thunder, lightning and hail to reach the four on board the disabled vessel.
Despite reaching more sheltered waters, the drama wasn't over, as the tow line twice broke as the weather continued to worsen.
With Thurso lifeboat joining them, the tired crew of Lochinver lifeboat passed the tow to their colleagues and returned to their lifeboat station in the morning of 8 December - nearly 12 hours after they first launched.
After the rescue the Norholm made a substantial donation to the RNLI and praised the Lochinver lifeboat crew for their bravery and quick response in saving their lives.
Coxswain MacAskill has been on the Lochinver crew for 26 years during which time he has received several letters of commendation from the charity.
He said: "This was the most difficult shout we have had due to the size of the boat, the weather conditions and where the boat was positioned. The ship had two anchors out but they were not holding her and there was real danger she could run aground"
"Afterwards all the volunteers on the Lochinver crew were absolutely exhausted. I never expected to receive a medal, I didn’t join the RNLI to go for medals, but what this medal means is that it is an honour for the station and the crew as a whole to receive something like this."
His nephew, Lochinver’s harbourmaster and lifeboat volunteer, Joe MacKay, recalled: "We knew it was a scabby night but it was not until we got there that the reality of the situation hit us. It was a horrendous reality check to realise what we were going to have to do to save that boat."
This is the first time in Lochinver’s nearly 50-year history that the station has received such an award for saving lives at sea. It is the seventh Bronze Medal to be awarded in Scotland in the last 16 years.