The Alderney RNLI has seen a busy start to the month with an open day at Braye Harbour on Saturday, 6 August, where residents and visitors were invited to board the Alderney RNLI all weather lifeboat, Roy Barker I, to meet the crew and take a tour of the vessel.
This was promptly followed by three shouts, within three days.
The first shout was to assist three people who had been cut off by the tide whilst exploring one of Alderney’s Victorian Coastal Fortresses (Houmet Herbe). The RNLI all-weather lifeboat, assisted by the boarding boat, recovered the casualties from the rocks and returned them safely to Braye Harbour.
The second shout was to assist a 10-metre yacht with two people on board which had encountered machinery failure 8 miles north-east of Alderney. The vessel was unable to sail and was subsequently towed into Braye Harbour.
The final shout was to attend a Mayday call at 10.16pm on 9 August. A vessel with four people on board was in danger of hitting rocks in the Casquets area, 8 miles west of Alderney.
The vessel was located and towed to the safety of Braye Harbour.
Alderney RNLI Coxswain, Declan Gaudion said, ‘The ideal sailing conditions and exceptionally warm weather that we have witnessed this year have certainly contributed to a significant number of visitors to the Island by sea this summer. August has so far proved to be a busy month for the Alderney Lifeboat and our volunteer crew and has provided a variety of differing rescue scenarios.”
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 142,700 lives.
