Volunteers at Swanage lifeboat evacuate an injured casualty from a yacht

The volunteer crew assembled at the lifeboat station and a crew was selected, including two casualty care trained crew. UK Coastguard passed the last reported position of the yacht and good speed was made in flat seas to the casualty vessel.

The lifeboat came alongside the casualty yacht around 30 minutes after launching and the trained casualty carers were transferred across to the yacht assess the situation. After the assessment had been carried out a decision was made to evacuate the casualty onboard the lifeboat.

Two crew members remained on board the yacht with the uninjured crew. Spare fuel was also passed across to the yacht, before the lifeboat left the scene to make best speed back to Swanage to meet up with Coastguards and Paramedics. The lifeboat reached Swanage Pier at 2.35am and handed over the casualty, then took the opportunity to pick up an extra crew member before heading back out to sea for a further rendezvous with the yacht.

The lifeboat crew on board the casualty yacht had re-started the engine, however, a strong tide was running and the yacht was barely able to make any headway, so, as the lifeboat closed the yacht's position for the second time, it was decided that towing it back to Swanage was the most prudent course of action. The tow was established and steady progress was being made back towards Swanage Bay when the lifeboat was informed that Paramedics had taken the casualty to Poole for monitoring. The towing destination was then changed to Poole Quay so that the two crew were both in the vicinity of the yacht and it was easily accessible.

At about 5.45am the yacht was made safe in Poole Quay Boathaven with the help of Poole volunteer coastguards. The two lifeboat crew were re-united with the lifeboat and the short passage back to Swanage was made as the dawn skies brightened. The lifeboat was re-fuelled and ready for further service shortly after 6.30am and the volunteers returned home to grab whatever sleep they could before the start of the week.

ALB Crew: (Coxn) Dave Turnbull, Robert Aggas, Steve Williams, Gavin Steeden, Bryan Jones, Phil Palmer, Alan Parmenter
Shore Crew: (Head Launcher) Gary Buglass, (Winchman) Nigel Bower, Ben Bamber

Key facts about the RNLI

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.

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