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Lifeboat volunteer awarded gallantry medal for dramatic Fife coast rescue | Lifeboat volunteer awarded gallantry medal for dramatic Fife coast rescue |
(4 months later) | |
A lifeboat volunteer has been awarded a gallantry medal for his role in a dramatic sea rescue that saved the lives of two men. | A lifeboat volunteer has been awarded a gallantry medal for his role in a dramatic sea rescue that saved the lives of two men. |
Barry Gourlay, 30, and two colleagues battled three-metre waves in complete darkness to get to a boat which had run aground in poor conditions off the Fife coast last year. | Barry Gourlay, 30, and two colleagues battled three-metre waves in complete darkness to get to a boat which had run aground in poor conditions off the Fife coast last year. |
Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) bosses said his expert seamanship undoubtedly saved the lives of the vessel's occupants. | Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) bosses said his expert seamanship undoubtedly saved the lives of the vessel's occupants. |
Gourlay, a mechanical engineer, was presented with a bronze medal for gallantry at the charity's annual award ceremony in London on Thursday. It was the first such award presented to a crew member from Anstruther lifeboat station since it was established in 1865. | Gourlay, a mechanical engineer, was presented with a bronze medal for gallantry at the charity's annual award ceremony in London on Thursday. It was the first such award presented to a crew member from Anstruther lifeboat station since it was established in 1865. |
His fellow crew members, fisherman Euan Hoggan, 22, and PhD student Rebecca Jewell, 30, also attended the ceremony. They will be formally thanked by the institution at a July ceremony in Scotland, in recognition of their skill and bravery that night. | His fellow crew members, fisherman Euan Hoggan, 22, and PhD student Rebecca Jewell, 30, also attended the ceremony. They will be formally thanked by the institution at a July ceremony in Scotland, in recognition of their skill and bravery that night. |
Gourlay said it was a great honour to receive the award for his courage and boat-handling skills. | Gourlay said it was a great honour to receive the award for his courage and boat-handling skills. |
"We are fortunate to receive such a high level of training from the RNLI, which gave us the skills to carry out this rescue," he said. | "We are fortunate to receive such a high level of training from the RNLI, which gave us the skills to carry out this rescue," he said. |
"I was able to act decisively on the night because I had such confidence in the ability of my crew mates, Becci and Euan. It was very much a team effort, recognition must also go to the shore crew and the crew aboard the all-weather lifeboat." | "I was able to act decisively on the night because I had such confidence in the ability of my crew mates, Becci and Euan. It was very much a team effort, recognition must also go to the shore crew and the crew aboard the all-weather lifeboat." |
The rescue began at 1am on 1 August last year. The RNLI's inshore lifeboat, named Norma and Bill Burleigh, was launched to help the two men whose boat had got into difficulty in challenging weather conditions. | The rescue began at 1am on 1 August last year. The RNLI's inshore lifeboat, named Norma and Bill Burleigh, was launched to help the two men whose boat had got into difficulty in challenging weather conditions. |
The casualties, Paul Harrison and his son Sean Harrison, from Liverpool, had begun their journey in North Shields, Tyne and Wear, but hit trouble when a problem with their boat's hydraulic steering emerged. | The casualties, Paul Harrison and his son Sean Harrison, from Liverpool, had begun their journey in North Shields, Tyne and Wear, but hit trouble when a problem with their boat's hydraulic steering emerged. |
The vessel, Princess, ran aground at Crail, 10 miles south east of St Andrews, and the strong winds and swell had driven the boat onto the rocks. | The vessel, Princess, ran aground at Crail, 10 miles south east of St Andrews, and the strong winds and swell had driven the boat onto the rocks. |
With Gourlay in control as senior helm, the lifeboat picked its way through breaking waves, shallow water and debris to get to the men. | With Gourlay in control as senior helm, the lifeboat picked its way through breaking waves, shallow water and debris to get to the men. |
Once they were brought safely aboard, the inshore lifeboat made its way out to Anstruther's larger all-weather lifeboat, which brought them ashore. | Once they were brought safely aboard, the inshore lifeboat made its way out to Anstruther's larger all-weather lifeboat, which brought them ashore. |
Speaking of Gourlay and the rest of the crew, Paul Harrison said: "To do what he did with that boat in those conditions – that takes something. | Speaking of Gourlay and the rest of the crew, Paul Harrison said: "To do what he did with that boat in those conditions – that takes something. |
"They were just fantastic, there wasn't anything that they didn't do for us, a lot of people don't realise that they're not paid for it, they have jobs as well and they're putting their lives in jeopardy to save other people." | "They were just fantastic, there wasn't anything that they didn't do for us, a lot of people don't realise that they're not paid for it, they have jobs as well and they're putting their lives in jeopardy to save other people." |
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