A team of Highland coastguard rescuers with nearly 200 years’ experience between them has quit.
Seven volunteer members of Portree Coastguard search and rescue team resigned after being left “sickened” by a lack of response to various issues raised over a six-month period.
This included being told certification was not needed for a new training beam, having a generator removed from the station without consultation, and less accountability in management and more on volunteers under the new system.
The resignations – which were handed in in November – emerged yesterday amid an ongoing dispute over Durness Coastguard team, who have also quit in anger at growing levels of bureaucracy.
Former Portree coastguard member, Ali Martin, who has more than 36 years’ experience, said there was “no going back” for any of their volunteers.
The resignations mean the nearest active coastguard teams are 22 miles away in Dunvegan and 34 miles in Kyle of Lochalsh.
Mr Martin said: “We are all just sickened by the lack of response from management. I think everyone of us is disappointed because it was a really good working team, and everyone is experienced in their various roles.
“Certainly, with regard to experience of local people and local knowledge, it’s going to be a loss. When we speak to lifeboat volunteers they realise we are an important group.”
Mr Martin said the coastguard team’s local knowledge was strongly reflected about two years ago when, after receiving credible local sightings, volunteers traced a missing person with dementia in the Earlish area of Skye, despite police wanting to focus search efforts in Portree, 18 miles away.
He claimed that one of the issues his team had expressed concerns about was over a piece of training equipment not being certified.
He said he contacted the area commander to ask for certification to use a beam for training inside the building – already an obstacle being used by the Stornoway team – but was told not to bother.
The 54-year-old highlighted new management issues following changes brought in about two years ago under the Future Coastguard programme.
A spokeswoman for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: “Concerns were raised by the Portree Coastguard Rescue Team last Autumn and following a meeting with senior members of HM Coastguard, some team members chose to resign.
“The team has since undertaken a recruitment exercise and is rebuilding, with support from HM Coastguard colleagues.”
