A Perthshire man who risked his life to save a couple from their stricken yacht amid treacherous conditions has received a gallantry award.
RNLI coxswain Gary Fairbairn, from Blairgowrie, was recognised for his remarkable “courage, judgment and exemplary boat handling” during the death-defying rescue.
Prince Michael of Kent presented him with the RNLI bronze medal for gallantry at an awards ceremony at the Barbican Centre in London.
The award saw Gary follow in the footsteps of his great-grandfather Walter Fairbairn, who received a similar honour in 1905.
“I am very proud of the Dunbar RNLI lifeboat crew,” Gary said following Thursday’s award ceremony.
“The weather was grotty and we knew what we were going for. We knew it was going to be horrendous.Tragedy imminent”Despite this, when the pagers went off all the local volunteers available turned up ready to offer their assistance.”
It seemed certain a tragedy was imminent when, amid a force eight gale and rough seas last May, the skipper of a Swedish yacht issued an urgent call for help on his VHF radio.
Despite the appalling conditions, Gary wasted no time in launching the RNLI Dunbar lifeboat.
With waves up to 10 metres high, the yacht was reported to have suffered two ‘knockdowns’ and the skipper and his wife were finding it difficult to cope.
Powerless to control their craft, they were perilously drifting toward the north side of the Firth of Forth.
However, the lifeboat soon cleared the breakwaters and sped toward the yacht.
Further offshore, several breaking seas hit the lifeboat as the swell became larger and the wind increased to a severe force nine gale.
Conditions began to deteriorate even further and, for one heart-stopping moment, Gary’s lifeboat fell 10 metres from the top of a large wave.
Just seconds later the boat was hit on her starboard side by a huge breaking wave, causing it to turn over completely.
However, the self-righting lifeboat swiftly returned to the upright position and reached the battered yacht just a few minutes later.
With no life raft aboard, Gary faced the daunting task of getting alongside the small yacht.
Initially, the lifeboat was hit by a wave as it neared the craft, and Gary had to fight to avoid a collision.UndeterredUndeterred, the crew made a second approach and were able to grab the skipper’s wife from the yacht before pulling her aboard. At the same time a life jacket was thrown to her husband.
A third approach was then made and the skipper was plucked from the deck and over the guard rails of the rescue vessel.
The couple were then taken to the safety of the wheelhouse and back to dry land, the yacht having been abandoned.
Gary refused to take all the credit for the dramatic rescue, describing it as a team effort.
“I have never experienced a sea as big and violent as that in all my days it was fierce,” he explained.
“It was a team effort and a satisfying outcome. I am glad we could help.”
Pupils from Newhill Primary in Blairgowrie were also commended.
They were presented with the under-13s award for their outstanding support of the RNLI.
The children have organised numerous fund-raising events and initiatives for the organisation.