A LIFEBOAT coxswain who helped save the lives of four fishermen whose boat was in danger of being swept onto rocks in a severe winter storm has been awarded a medal.
Coxswain David MacAskill, 47, is to be decorated with the RNLI Bronze Medal for Gallantry, one of the lifeboat charity’s highest accolades.
He led the crew of the Lochinver lifeboat when they set out in 10-metre high seas, lightning and hail to reach the fishermen on the stricken trawler Norholm, which had lost all power and was being pushed by gale-force winds towards the deadly shore of Cape Wrath in the Highlands.
Battling against the storm to attach a tow line, they managed to pull the ship and crew clear of danger – only for the tow line to break twice as the weather worsened.
Each time the tow was reattached, once with the help of colleagues from Thurso lifeboat, who then took over to allow the Lochinver crew to return to station nearly 12 hours after they first launched at 8.39pm on December 7, 2014.
After the rescue, the Norholm praised the Lochinver lifeboat crew for saving their lives and donated to the RNLI. Coxswain MacAskill said the rescue was the hardest in his 26 years on the crew.
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.
“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.”
The rest of the crew, including
MacAskill’s son, Lachlan, 20, and nephew, Joe MacKay, 24, as well as Stuart Gudgeon, 35, Robert Kinnaird, 40, James MacAskill, 40 and John K Templeton, 42, will receive the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum for the rescue.
George Rawlinson, RNLI operations director, said: “The Lochinver crew faced appalling conditions during this service. When a lifeboat boat is pitching and rolling beneath you, it takes huge effort to assess a hazardous situation and making difficult decisions is incredibly challenging.
“Coxswain MacAskill did all this while skilfully manoeuvring the lifeboat, ensuring that both his crew and his attention to the Norholm was to the highest standards of seamanship.
"The bravery and determination of Coxswain MacAskill and his crew saved the captain and crew of the Norholm.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here