Lesley Smith Obituary: Stranraer CRT Officer Remembered After Sudden Passing, MRCC Belfast Mourns

STRANRAER, Scotland — The maritime rescue community is in mourning following the sudden passing of Stranraer Coastguard Rescue Officer Lesley Smith.

The staff at MRCC Belfast (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre Belfast) shared the heartbreaking news, saying they are shocked and saddened to hear of Lesley’s sudden passing.

In a statement, MRCC Belfast said: “Our heartfelt condolences to all her family and friends and our colleagues on the Stranraer CRT.”

Lesley Smith served as a dedicated Rescue Officer with the Stranraer Coastguard Rescue Team (CRT), part of HM Coastguard. Coastguard Rescue Officers are volunteers who give their time to respond to emergencies along the coast — from searches, to cliff and water rescues — often in difficult and dangerous conditions to save lives.

Her sudden passing has left her colleagues at Stranraer CRT and the wider HM Coastguard family, including the team at MRCC Belfast who worked closely with her, devastated.

Tributes are expected to pour in for a woman who dedicated herself to serving and protecting her community along the coastline. The Stranraer CRT is a tight-knit team, and the loss of one of their own is felt deeply across the entire Coastguard network in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Details regarding funeral and memorial arrangements for Lesley Smith will be shared by her family in due course.

Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and all her colleagues at Stranraer Coastguard Rescue Team and MRCC Belfast at this incredibly difficult time.