Lifeboat volunteers’ casualty training turns into real-life rescue

Dunbar’s RNLI volunteers broke off from a first aid care training course to deal with a real life casualty in challenging circumstances.

Dunbar’s inshore lifeboat crew heads out to help with the injured casualty(Douglas Wright/RNLI)

Lifeboat volunteers who had been training in casualty care were called to help a man who was seriously injured after falling from some cliffs.

Police contacted the coastguard after being alerted to the incident in Marine Drive, Dunbar, East Lothian at about 4pm on Friday.

Teams from North Berwick Dunbar and Eyemouth Coastguard were involved in the rescue and Dunbar Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) launched both its inshore and offshore lifeboats.

RNLI spokesperson Douglas Wright said: “Several crew, who were in the middle of a casualty care course at the station, were tasked when a 48-year-old man fell 30ft from the cliff at Winterfield Park just before 4pm.

The Coastguard Helicopter assists the rescuers at Winterfield Cliff, Marine Drive, Dunbar East Lothian(Photo: Dunbar RNLI/ Gary Fairbairn)

“Both boats were launched to assist in the operation, which also included coastguard teams from Dunbar and Eyemouth, police and ambulance crews and the coastguard rescue helicopter.

“The crew of the inshore lifeboat arrived on scene at 4.10pm and provided emergency care for the casualty until the rescue helicopter arrived.

“Meanwhile, the volunteers on the all-weather lifeboat sat offshore in case they were needed.

“Once the decision was made to airlift the casualty to hospital for treatment, both boats were stood down by the UK Coastguard at around 5.30pm.”

The man is being treated in hospital.