Poole lifeboats launch to vessel in difficulty in thick fog
Poole lifeboats launch to vessel in difficulty in thick fog
Lifeboats News Release
Poole lifeboat was requested to launch by HM Coastguard at 4:15pm Wednesday (4 March) to conduct a welfare check on a grounded vessel in thick fog.
The vessel, with three people and two dogs onboard, went aground as visibility closed in and the tide continued to drop.
The lifeboat launched with visibility no more than 50 metres, putting the crews skills to the test.
A slow and steady transit was made to the vessel which was now high and dry. A crew member managed to step through the soft mud to make contact with those onboard.
With the tide not set to rise for a couple of hours and no improvement in the visibility the best course of action was to securely anchor the vessel and evacuate the people to a safe location.
Due to the location and surrounding mud, the D class was launched and carefully made their way through the harbour meeting up with the Atlantic to be escorted to the casualty location.
Due to the shallower draft of the D class, they were able to get closer to the vessel and transferred the three people and two dogs to the Atlantic.
Both lifeboats then proceeded to Salterns Marina to safely drop the occupants ashore.
Poole helm, Ed Davies said: ‘The visibility on launching was no more than 50 metres. Our crews were certainly tested on this service call but we train for situations like this and really utilised the radar and navigation equipment onboard to keep us safe, but also to help locate the casualty.
'It’s unfortunate that the reduced visibility and the very low tide caught these people out but we were glad we were able to assist.’
Both lifeboats were refuelled and ready for service by 6:40pm.
This was launch 7 for Poole Lifeboat Station this year.
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.
