RNLI Lymington volunteer rescue six people in busy weekend
Volunteer lifeboat crew members from Lymington RNLI assisted six people in two separate incidents in what was a busy weekend for the station.
On Saturday 6 August at 1.45pm a vessel in Christchurch Bay raised the alarm after spotting an old fishing boat in distress two miles north of the needles.
The vessel in questiopn had already been rescued by the Lymington lifeboat crew in the early hours of Saturday morning after her crew encountered engine problems in Hurst Narrows.
The Lymington crew were tasked at 1.50pm and the four-person volunteer crew set off aboard David Bradley, the Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat, in moderate sea conditions and a 1.5m swell.
On passage to the casualty vessel a call was received via a member of the Lymington volunteer crew, who by good fortune was fishing off Hurst Castle and had seen a small Dory with an adult and three small children aboard capsize in rough water. Quickly diverting to the scene, the RNLI volunteer crew arrived within a few short minutes of the incident to see the four clinging to the upturned vessel.
Retrieving the three small children and their father to the safety of the lifeboat, they were then transferred to a local vessel that had kindly stood by in support, RNLI volunteer crew member Bligh Julius remained with the traumatised family to escort them to the safety of Keyhaven and the awaiting coastguard.
Continuing on to their original task further out in Christchurch Bay, the volunteer crew arrived on scene to find a 45ft fishing boat rapidly taking on water. The lifeboat crew quickly retrieved the two men to the safety of the lifeboat.
Yarmouth's RNLI volunteer crew, on board the Severn class all-weather lifeboat, Eric and Susan Hiscock (Wanderer), arrived on scene in support and the two casualties were transferred to the larger lifeboat to be returned to Yarmouth.
The Lymington volunteer crew then returned to Keyhaven to retrieve their crew member and in doing so spotted a further vessel in distress, who had been trying to salvage the recently upturned Dory, but run aground. The RNLI volunteers assisted the vessel, ensuring the crew were safe, before returning to Lymington and the awaiting shore crew to ready the lifeboat for further service at 4pm.
Within an hour the volunteer crew were yet again tasked to another vessel which had run aground in Newtown Creek.
RNLI media contacts
· Glenn Julius, Lymington RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer [email protected] 07802403733
· Tim Ash, RNLI Public Relations Manager (London/East/South East) on 0207 6207426, 07785 296252 [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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