Both Bembridge RNLI’s Lifeboats were busy over the weekend

RNLB Alfred Albert Williams (Tamar All-Weather Lifeboat 16-17) was tasked by UK (Solent) Coastguard at 11.56 am on Saturday 23 March to assist a 32 foot cruiser/racing yacht with 8 crew that had been participating in the JOG race round the Nab Tower and had 'bladder wrapped' (had got the spinnaker wrapped around the mast) to the north east of the Station.

It did not take long to reach the yacht and although neither assistance onboard or a tow were required, to be on the safe side, especially as it turned out that one of crew had suffered a head injury, it was decided to escort her to Gosport Marina. Having seen the yacht safely berthed, and the injured member of the crew had been handed over to an Ambulance, the Alfred Albert Williams returned to Bembridge and was recovered by 15.30 pm. Weather conditions were a mixture of Force 3 Westerly with sunshine to Force 6 Westerly with rain squalls.

RNLB Norman Harvey (D-778 Inshore Lifeboat) was tasked at roughly the same time to a man overboard from another yacht, however the launch was cancelled after the person was self-recovered.

RNLB Norman Harvey (D-Class Inshore Lifeboat D-778) and RNLB Alfred Albert Williams (Tamar All-Weather Lifeboat 16-17) were launched on Sunday morning 24 March at the request of UK (Solent) Coastguard to assist the local Coastguard Rescue Teams from Bembridge and Ventnor, along with teams from the Fire Service, rescue a casualty who was stuck in the mud to the west of Whitecliff Bay. Access to where the casualty was along the shore by the local Coastguard Rescue Teams and Fire Service was extremely difficult and it took some time to ferry them from the slipway in Whitecliff Bay to where the casualty was located.

Eventually freed from the mud by the members of the Coastguard and Fire Service, they were transferred in a stretcher (along with their dog who was fine) to the Alfred Albert Williams and brought back to the Offshore Lifeboat Station where the casualty was handed over to the on-scene Ambulance Commander and the waiting Ambulance. The Alfred Albert Williams was released at around 12.30 pm and the Norman Harvey a bit later once she had finished ferrying members of the Coastguard and Fire Service back to Whitecliff Bay. Weather conditions were good (sunny with a NW F4 breeze).

RNLB Norman Harvey (D-Class Inshore Lifeboat D-778) and RNLB Alfred Albert Williams (Tamar All-Weather Lifeboat 16-17) were then re-tasked during the afternoon to assist another person who had become trapped in the blue slipper clay in almost exactly the same location as the person earlier in the day. They also had a dog! A second person had managed to extricate themselves and was checked over by an Ambulance crew at Whitecliff Bay.

With the tide dropping, both boats had to take a slightly more offshore route to get 'on scene'. Access along the shore was also easier for the Coastguard and Fire Service teams however the Norman Harvey still did a lot of ferrying from Whitecliff Bay. As with the earlier shout, once the casualty had been freed by the Coastguard and Fire Service teams, the casualty was transferred in a stretcher by the Norman Harvey from the shore to the Alfred Albert Williams and brought back (along with their dog) to the Offshore Boathouse and handed over the waiting Ambulance. Weather conditions were the same as this morning - sunny with a NW F4 breeze.

Quote from John Keyworth, Operations Manager Bembridge RNLI “From what was a routine tasking, a yacht needing assistance, for our crew on the Saturday to what are becoming regular ‘Mud rescues’ taskings, eight in the last 12 months, brings out many of the differing skills our crews now practice. We are fortunate to be able to work with the highly efficient coastguard and fire service volunteers who are also becoming, like us, very conversant with the problems associated with mud rescue. The only downside is the amount of time afterwards it takes to clean the boats, equipment and crew clothing that becomes caked in thick oozing mud. Following the really huge amount of rainfall we have experienced over this winter we cannot express strongly enough how important it is to be extra vigilant when walking especially as these three people found out, on the lower parts of gradiented cliffs as this is where mud patches form.”

RNLI media contacts

• Mike Samuelson, Bembridge RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, on 07785 593254 or [email protected]

• Julie Rainey, RNLI Regional Media Manager London/East/South East) on 0207 6207416, 07827 358256 [email protected]

• For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789

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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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.