A woman who came close to drowning in Aberdeen Harbour was rescued, thanks to the efforts of the Aberdeen lifeboat team this weekend.
The emergency services were called to Regent Quay, opposite the bottom of Marischal Street, after receiving reports of someone in the freezing cold water just before 2am on Saturday.
When the RNLI inshore lifeboat arrived, the crew found a woman clinging to the bottom rung of a ladder, fighting to keep her grip while submerged.
The team quickly took her aboard their vessel, and rushed her to Aberdeen Lifeboat Station where they warmed her up, before passing her into the care of the Scottish Ambulance Service.
The fast-acting volunteers of the RNLI crew received the alert, pulled the woman out of the harbour and got her to safety in less than 15 minutes.
The helm of the rescue, Cal Reed, a full-time mechanic and deputy second coxswain with the Aberdeen Lifeboat service, was joined by fellow crew members Stephen Bremner and Aberdeen City Councillor Ciaran McRae.
Mr Reed said: “This lady was fully immersed in cold seawater, and was clinging to the ladder, but was unable to climb out of the water.
“She was in imminent danger of losing her grip on the ladder and drowning.
“This was one of those nights that makes being a lifeboatman special: our presence saved this woman’s life.”
Aberdeen Harbour councillor Ryan Houghton said: “It is only due to the hard work and quick thinking of the RNLI team that nobody was seriously hurt, or worse, on this call-out.
“The Aberdeen lifeboat crew continues to be an example of the excellent, vital services that the RNLI provides all across the north-east.”
Fellow Aberdeen Harbour councillor Michael Hutchison said: “The actions of the crew without a doubt saved this woman’s life, and that has to be admired.
“And what is even more admirable is that the crew are all volunteers, and the RNLI is able to carry out such life-saving work with their only funding coming from public donations.
“Anyone who wishes to support the lifeboat, and I’m sure they would appreciate it, can go to www.rnli.org.uk.”
