Leverburgh lifeboat to be withdrawn due to lack of crew
The Leverburgh lifeboat will cease offering a service at the end of the summer season as they are unable to continue due to a personnel shortage.
The station was opened in 2012 after a long community campaign and fundraising efforts, as the lack of provision in the south of Harris was seen as a major gap, with Barra RNLI at one end of the Western Isles and Stornoway at the other.
Initially, the Leverburgh volunteer operation operated a six-crew all-weather Shannon class lifeboat, but after a two-year hiatus and consultation that was reduced in 2021 to a four-man Atlantic 85 inshore RIB lifeboat, which it was hoped would be more manageable going forward.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Leverburgh RNLI said: “The decision, which has not been taken lightly, is primarily due to a lack of crew, making progression with training and provision of a 24/7/365 on-call service difficult and, in some cases, unobtainable.
“The station, which was restarted in 2021 on a trial basis following a period of closure, initially had a healthy complement of crew and support staff.
"But, due to varying unforeseen factors such as changes in life circumstances, relocation etc., these numbers have almost halved and no longer make the service viable.
“The safety of crew and the public is the station’s foremost priority, and, without an adequate crew base, it is simply not possible in the medium-long term to provide a sustainable service.”
They said the management group and the crew “understand that this news will be particularly disappointing to those who have supported and relied upon the station over the years”.
“All involved are immensely proud of the role the station has played in saving lives at sea and everyone is deeply grateful to all past and present volunteers, supporters and members of the local community for their dedication and commitment,” they said.
“A heartfelt thanks goes to the communities of Harris, Berneray and North Uist who have so willingly supported the RNLI’s fundraising efforts over the years and, in particular, those who took the time to ensure the funds were raised, both in South Harris and across the Sound in Berneray and North Uist.”
The local management group and the crew said they wished “to place on record their appreciation for the enormous level of resource and support which has been provided by the RNLI since the arrival of the Atlantic 85 Lifeboat in Leverburgh.”
Since, 2021 the Atlantic 85 lifeboat has been called out on 23 occasions.
RNLI Head of Region, Jill Hepburn, said: “The news comes as a huge disappointment to us all given the effort of the crew in Leverburgh to make this trial a success and we are extremely grateful to the community for their continued support.
"We will now engage with internal and external stakeholder, including our Search and Rescue partners, to consider the wider lifesaving effect in and around Harris before we make a final decision on the future of Leverburgh Lifeboat Station.”