Glasgow And Ships Of The Clyde

Man and girl rescued from dinghy at Arran

From "The Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald" dated Friday 28th May 1971

MAN AND GIRL RESCUED FROM DINGHY

Arran residents were awakened in the early hours of Monday morning when a Glasgow man and his 12-year-old daughter were pulled to safety at a cove between Corrie and Brodick after drifting for about 12 hours in the Firth of Clyde.

An hour before dawn, Mr. Robert Brown, aged 59, who owns the Pirate's Cove restaurant between Brodick and Corrie, heard cries for help from a dinghy drifting towards the shore.
He wakened his son, Robert, aged 24, and a friend, Mr. Gordon Johnstone, aged 22, from Glasgow.
He then drove his car to the shore and switched on the headlights, while the two young men waded into the water and pulled the man and child ashore.

The man was Mr. Alfredo Parducci, aged 37, of 45 Clifford Street, Ibrox, and with him was his daughter Armanda.
They were taken to the War Memorial Hospital, Arran, where they were treated for exposure, shock and exhaustion, and were put under sedation.

Mr. Parducci and Armanda had gone to Seamill to try out the lightweight dinghy he bought last Friday.
The dinghy was caught in a stiff wind and blown out to sea, and father and daughter waved clothing and shouted for help as the boat drifted in the misty conditions.

A holiday couple saw them and an intensive search of the Firth began.
Largs inshore rescue boat and Troon lifeboat were called out but the search was called off when darkness fell.

During the all-night ordeal, Mr. Parducci, who is an engineer fitter, struggled to stay awake as he rowed to keep the dinghy heading into the swell and drank sea water to keep himself from collapsing.
He tied his daughter to the bottom of the dinghy to prevent her being thrown out.