Abseiling accident survivor praises RNLI volunteers for saving her life

Louise Houghton, a young woman from Scotland, recently shared her harrowing experience of surviving an abseiling accident thanks to the quick actions of Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) volunteers. On the first day of her trip, Ms Houghton and her friends had planned to visit the Old Man Of Hoy, but due to poor weather, they decided to go abseiling instead on Yesnaby cliffs.

During the abseiling activity, the anchor that tethers the abseiler to the cliff edge failed, causing Ms Houghton to fall into the rocks below before plummeting into the sea. Fortunately, her friends were able to pull her out, but she sustained serious injuries including a broken left arm, multiple back fractures, a fractured pelvis, and injuries to both feet.

RNLI volunteers, including Peter Mackay, arrived on the scene to treat Ms Houghton. Despite her deteriorating condition, Mr Mackay made the decision to transfer her to the all-weather lifeboat named Violet Dorothy and Kathleen, which then winched her to a coastguard helicopter for further transfer to Balfour Hospital in Kirkwall.

Ms Houghton spent four months in the hospital recovering from her injuries and expressed her gratitude to the RNLI volunteers for saving her life. She later met with the crew to thank them personally and even participated in fundraising events to support the organization.

The RNLI recently revealed an increase in rescue missions in Scotland in 2023, highlighting the importance of fundraising efforts to support their lifesaving service. Supporters are encouraged to participate in the Mayday Mile fundraiser to help raise funds for the RNLI and ensure their continued ability to respond to emergencies.

Ms Houghton’s story serves as a reminder of the vital role that RNLI volunteers play in saving lives and the ongoing need for public support to sustain their lifesaving efforts.