Flashing lights trigger lifeboat crew search

A lifeboat was launched after flashing lights associated with distress signals were seen at a Sutherland beauty spot during the early hours of yesterday morning.

Lochinver Lifeboat's crew were paged just after 2am after a passing yacht had seen a flashing light on the shore at Sandwood Bay, 11 miles south of Cape Wrath.

The lifeboat arrived on scene at 3.30am to discover a four man liferaft fully inflated and up on the rocks with its light flashing.

The lifeboat launched the daughter “Y” boat to investigate.

"Thankfully no evidence was found of anyone having been in the liferaft and when reporting the serial number back to the coastguard it transpired the liferaft had been reported lost by another yacht when passing the area several days earlier," said the station.

"The liferaft was towed off the shore and recovered to the lifeboat which then returned to station and was refuelled, tied up and ready for service again by 6am."

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