Margate’s RNLI inshore lifeboat has had a busy weekend responding to three calls and five incidents heralding the start of the peak of the summer season.
On Saturday (23 July) the inshore lifeboat was tasked to recover an abandoned kayak off Minnis Bay Birchington (see news release 17.2016 dated 23 July). The volunteer crew was called into action again yesterday afternoon (Sunday 24 July) being tasked twice and responding to four incidents.
The first call was after coastguards received a mobile phone call from the two occupants of an inflatable dinghy in difficulties around one mile off West Bay Westgate-on-Sea. The dinghy was being blown seawards by a fresh south westerly wind, and with no oars they were unable to make headway. They were quickly located by the lifeboat and landed back safe ashore at West Bay.
Less than an hour later the lifeboat was tasked again to assist RNLI lifeguards in the search for a missing child on Margate’s Marine Sands. This quickly developed into a search for a second missing child, fortunately both children were found safe ashore. While returning to station the lifeboat gave assistance to a second inflatable dinghy being blown seawards off Margate. The dinghy and its three occupants were landed ashore at Margate.
Nick Smith, Deputy Launching Authority Margate Lifeboat said: ‘The start of the school holidays coinciding with a spell of fine weather has resulted in a busy weekend for our volunteer crews. We urge everyone to take great care, seek local knowledge advice from RNLI lifeguards and lifeboat crews and be aware of strong offshore winds, don’t make an enjoyable day out end in tragedy.’
·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.
