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Peter BarkerLifeboat press officer at Margate RNLI lifeboat station.
This man was extremely lucky and probably owes his life to the quick response of the lifeboat crew
Lifeboats News Release
The quick response of Margate’s RNLI inshore lifeboat crew has saved the life of a man taking a midnight dip in the sea.
The alarm was raised soon after 1am this morning (Sunday 5 August 2012) when coastguards at Dover received a report of a man in difficulties in the sea near Margate harbour.Margate’s RNLI inshore lifeboat was tasked and launched just nine minutes after being called. The casualty was located just one minute later and taken aboard the lifeboat and landed back at the lifeboat station. As he was showing signs of hypothermia he was handed into the care of an ambulance from the South East Coast Ambulance Service who took him to QEQM Hospital Margate.Paul Hodson, Lifeboat Operations Manager Margate lifeboat said: “This man was extremely lucky and probably owes his life to the quick response of the lifeboat crew. The message is clear, going for a swim, fully clothed and in the middle of the night is deadly dangerous. Even during the height of summer the water is extremely cold and adventures such as this can turn an enjoyable night out into tragedy”
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The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is the charity that saves lives at sea. Our volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland from 236 lifeboat stations, including four along the River Thames and inland lifeboat stations at Loch Ness, Lough Derg, Enniskillen and Lough Ree. Additionally the RNLI has more than 1,000 lifeguards on over 180 beaches around the UK and operates a specialist flood rescue team, which can respond anywhere across the UK and Ireland when inland flooding puts lives at risk.
The RNLI relies on public donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. As a charity it is separate from, but works alongside, government-controlled and funded coastguard services. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824 our lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved at least 140,000 lives. Volunteers make up 95% of the charity, including 4,600 volunteer lifeboat crew members and 3,000 volunteer shore crew. Additionally, tens of thousands of other dedicated volunteers raise funds and awareness, give safety advice, and help in our museums, shops and offices.
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The RNLI is a charity registered in England and Wales (209603) and Scotland (SC037736). Charity number CHY 2678 in the Republic of Ireland
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This man was extremely lucky and probably owes his life to the quick response of the lifeboat crew