20/05/2026
Dunbar RNLI is pleased to announce the appointment of two new volunteer launch authorities at the station.
While David Koch (left in photo) has been involved with the station in several roles over 27 years, new recruit Ali Spinner brings a wealth of sea-going experience.
The RNLI launch authority (LA) is a critical, shore-based volunteer role responsible for authorising the launch of lifeboats in response to HM Coastguard emergency calls. Acting as a key liaison, the LA operates on a 24/7 rota, making crucial decisions when to launch, monitoring active shouts, and ensuring crew safety.
David, 54, is a former crewmember who is now part of the shore crew and a tractor driver for our D class lifeboat. The dad-of-four and proud grandad is a company director of a cleaning firm that operates throughout the UK. He said: ‘I thought it was a good time to step up, take on more responsibility and help the station by becoming a launch authority. It’s an important role and I’ve seen first-hand how decisions are made when and when not to launch.
‘While I was on the crew, two “shouts” in particular stand out. One was in 1999 when we were called to a Tornado jet that came down in the North Sea not far from Torness Power Station. We were tasked to find the pilots but thankfully they had ejected to safety on land.
‘On another occasion, after the Biel Water burst its banks and stables were flooded at West Barns, we were called out to help anyone stuck due to the rising water. Due to the conditions, we launched the inshore D class lifeboat from the road in the village – that was certainly an unusual launch!’
Originally from Perthshire, Ali, 51, spent 14 years in Sydney, Australia, before moving back to Scotland in 2015 and settling in Dunbar with his wife and two sons.
Ali, who works in medical recruitment, was inspired to volunteer for the RNLI after being around the harbour community. He said: ‘I thought it would be a good thing to get involved with. Our kids are getting older and, as the crew could utilise some new skills, I thought I would put my hat in the ring.
‘Speaking to other crew members, I heard about the launch authority position and I’m looking forward to learning more about the role from the crew and the other LAs and taking it from there.’
Ali has experience crewing on yacht races in Australia and he added: ‘My dad is an ocean sailor and races yachts so I have always been around boats, marinas and harbours and was a competitive ocean swimmer in Australia. My dad was once rescued when a huge storm hit the Sydney to Hobart yacht race in 1998 and several people were lost at sea and had to be rescued. They don’t have an RNLI equivalent in Australia, it is the coastguard, but that incident gave me an understanding of how valuable it is to have a rescue service.’
Dunbar RNLI lifeboat operations manager Ian Wilson said: ‘The launch authority role is vitally important for any lifeboat station. It’s two roles really: firstly, being part of the day-to-day management of the station, making sure that everything is running smoothly and our boats and crews are ready for immediate action if we get asked to go and rescue someone; and, secondly, being a critical part of the emergency response for that rescue, keeping the safety and welfare of our own crews uppermost in deciding how we respond. I’m delighted that David and Ali have decided to join the team and I’m looking forward to working with them.’
(Photo: Alexander Williams)
