A lifeboat crew was dispatched in terrible weather conditions on Friday night, only to discover that what they were looking for was a distress flare set off on dry land, according to Stranraer RNLI. Following three separate reports of a distress flare sighting in the harbour area at around 11:55 pm, a search was initiated. Stranraer Coastguard and SAR helicopter were also called to assist. However, the search came to an end when a used canister was discovered on dry land.
In a statement, Stranraer RNLI claimed that the reckless act jeopardized the lives of its volunteer crew and put someone else who may have needed assistance further away at risk. The RNLI went on to ask the public to avoid using pyrotechnic distress flares for anything other than requesting help when they are at sea and in distress. If not done correctly, signals can be very dangerous, leading to severe injury or worse.
As a charity that relies on donations and legacies to continue saving lives at sea, the RNLI revealed that the recent act would cost the charity a significant amount of money, as the crew involved were volunteers who provided their services free of charge. The RNLI also appealed to anyone with any information about the distress flare to come forward and help them with their investigation.
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