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Sheerness RNLI lifeboat volunteers help in a muddy rescue

Lifeboats News Release

Sheerness RNLI's inshore lifeboat was called to assist in rescuing a person from the River Medway at Chatham.

The volunteer crew of the Sheerness inshore lifeboat (ILB) Eleanor was called at 11.18am on Wednesday 20 April to reports of a vulnerable man in the water near the Ship Pier, Chatham.

After arriving at the scene, the lifeboat crew assisted South East Coast Ambulance Service Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) paramedics who had rescued the 20-year-old man from the water and were in the mud with the casualty at the water’s edge.

The casualty and paramedics were taken onboard the lifeboat and evacuated to the Rochester Esplanade pontoon where an ambulance was waiting.

The casualty, suffering from hypothermia, was transferred to the waiting ambulance for treatment.

As the lifeboat was about to return to station a further call was received at 12.09pm to reports that a person had been spotted in the water off the Medway Valley Leisure Park, Strood.

The crew quickly responded and a thorough search of the area was carried out along with the Medway Coastguard service.

Nothing untoward was found and the lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 3pm.

Ends

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• Vic Booth RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer (Sheerness)  07926904453 / 01795 880544   [email protected] / [email protected]
• Tim Ash, RNLI Public Relations Manager (London/East/South East) on 0207 6207426, 07785 296252  [email protected]
• James Oxley, RNLI Press Officer (London/East/South East)
0207 6207425 / 07786 668825 [email protected]
• For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789

Key facts about the RNLI

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 146,000 lives.

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