Swanage lifeboat launches to assist a vessel 13nm offshore during lifeboat week

Thirty five minutes after launching, Swanage lifeboat was alongside the casualty boat and a crew member placed on board to assess the situation. It was decided that the medical incident was priority, so the casualty was taken onto the lifeboat and best speed was made back to Swanage.

The casualty was handed over to waiting paramedics at Swanage and the lifeboat then returned to the broken down fishing boat, which was drifting west on the last hours of a strong tide.

The lifeboat took the casualty vessel under tow as it posed a hazard to other traffic. Now that the vessel had drifted west, Weymouth lifeboat launched to take over the tow, allowing Swanage lifeboat to return to station.

The lifeboat entered Swanage Bay just in time to join in the Swanage Lifeboat Week Gig Racing and Sailing Racing events, before being re-fuelled and washed down.

ALB Crew: (Coxn) Gavin Steeden, Steve Williams, Matthew Steeden, Sam Aggas, Julian Vass, Gary Buglass, Scott Turner
Shore Crew: (Head Launcher) Paul Meacham, (Winch) Jeremy Stein, Morgan Woodford, Martha Tavinor, Neil Collings

RNLI Media Contacts

Becky Mack, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI South East, [email protected]

Stella Sims, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for London and South East England, 07483 316675, [email protected]

Sam Haddad, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for London and South East England, 01202 137713, [email protected]

Julie Rainey, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for London and South East England, 07827 358256, [email protected]

RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [email protected]

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI is the charity that 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 146,700 lives.

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