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Lowestoft RNLI lifeboat called to fishing boat aground on sandbank
The volunteer crew of Lowestoft RNLI lifeboat ‘Patsy Knight’ were called at 8.50 am on Tuesday 15 September to launch and to assess what help they could give to a stranded fishing boat on a sandbank.
Second Coxswain Karl Jackson said, “when we reached the boat the tide was pushing it further onto the sand bar, so we firstly threw a line to the two-man crew to stop their vessel going any further onto the sand.
It appears that the 10m fishing vessel was trawling on the inside of the sandbank off Pakefield when its trawl apparently got stuck under the keel somehow and came into contact with the boat’s engine and stopped it. As soon as they lost their engine the tide took them onto the sandbank.
Their plight was spotted by the nearby Pakefield Coastwatch who alerted HM Coastguard who then tasked our lifeboat to attend.”
Mr Jackson added “we waited a short while for the incoming tide to lift and free the boat before we connected a tow rope and the vessel came off the sand quite easily.
Once refloated we towed them away from the sandbank and into the bay and waited while the fishermen got their trawl, that was still in the water, sorted out.
Some of the trawl net was still submerged and being dragged along - meaning the tow back to harbour was very slow”
The vessel was eventually moored in the Waveney dock at 11.00am
Another fishing boat stood by the vessel during the incident for which the lifeboat crew give their thanks.
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For further information, please contact:
Michael Howes, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI North and East, [email protected]
Clare Hopps, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for North East and East England, 07824 518641, [email protected]
Richard Grange, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for North East and East England, 07483 112015, [email protected]
RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [email protected]
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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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