Ramsgate Volunteer crew launch to a sinking vessel.
On Saturday the inshore lifeboat was launched by HM Coastguard to reports of four young people adrift on a dinghy just outside Ramsgate Harbour.
Launching at 16.15 on 25 May the volunteer crew on the inshore lifeboat Claire and David Delves were directed to the location by Port Control who had spotted the boat. The crew arrived quickly on scene where they discovered that it was not in fact a dinghy, instead it was a 17 ft speed boat that had been towing people behind on an inflatable rubber ring.
The speedboat was sinking and drifting towards the break water leaving one person perched on the edge of the sinking speedboat, one in the water and two people on the rubber ring.
The inshore recovered all four casualties into the lifeboat and then manoeuvred the speedboat back to the safety of the Harbour where it was lifted out by a hoist.
Coxswain of Ramsgate RNLI Ian Cannon said, ‘In this case the people onboard the speedboat had taken the sensible precaution of having a mobile phone onboard so had been able to call the Emergency Services themselves alerting the Coastguard. Whenever you set to sea always ensure that your boat is in good condition and you have a means of calling for assistance if required.’
Karen Cox Ramsgate Press Officer Email [email protected] Tel 07779848431
Hattie Mellor RNLI National Media Manager Email [email protected] Tel 07724 801305
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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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