Loch Ness rescues cap RNLI crew’s busiest ever start to year for the Highland lifeboat station’s Great Glen volunteers
The RNLI’s Loch Ness crew have recorded their busiest ever start to a year after their lifeboat responded to a grounded motor cruiser this week.
The rescue on Monday made it the crew’s fifth call-out of 2025 so far - the busiest start to any year since the Loch Ness lifeboat station was set up in 2008.
The latest rescue saw a four-strong volunteer RNLI crew responded to a stranded motor cruiser which had grounded on a sandbar in Urquhart Bay harbour, just metres from the lifeboat station.
Neil Stebbings, volunteer helm, said: “The lifeboat launched to assess the situation of a small hire cruiser which had run aground nearby after misidentifying the harbour buoyage and running aground on a sandbar.
“Fortunately, no-one on board was injured and there was no damage to the boat. We made the decision that undertaking a tow was necessary and the safest way to assist the casualties.
“We established a tow to pull the cruiser back into the water and the occupants were able to continue with their holiday.’
Just a few days prior on Thursday, April 3, the volunteer crew also rescued another hire cruiser that had run into the same problem.
Simon Cameron, volunteer helm, said: “The Easter break is always a busy time at Loch Ness but the exceptional weather we’ve had in the past week has seen more hire cruisers exploring the area.
“Both boats had run aground on a sandbar in Urquhart Bay harbour but our crew made sure they were quickly on their way again.
“It’s great to see so many people getting out onto the water and enjoying Loch Ness but it’s important to always study navigational aids closely to ensure safe berthing for boats of all sizes.”
