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Man rescued in all night call out for Humber RNLI

Lifeboats News Release

The crew of the Humber Lifeboat were called into action on Saturday night (7 May) to a 40ft cruiser with engine difficulties.

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The crew were alerted to the incident by UK Coastguard. The Coastguard had received a call from a gentleman passaging his vessel from Ipswich to Hull, he was approximately 8 nautical miles South East of the Humber estuary; one engine had failed and he was concerned for the other.
The Severn class lifeboat was launched and proceeded to the estimated position of the vessel thought to be just North of the Donna Nook firing range.  Coastguards were having trouble contacting the troubled vessel by VHF but as the Lifeboat made way the vessel was spotted by the RNLI crew.
A RNLI crewman/medic was put aboard the vessel to make contact with the skipper. Both engines had now failed, and the boat was drifting and rolling without power. The RNLI crew secured a tow and started to make way toward the safe haven of Grimsby.
The gentlemen was then treated for the effects of sea sickness on the passage back to port,
Martyn Hagan Coxswain on the Humber Lifeboat said
‘Without engine power the cruiser was being effected by the motion of the sea and even in a relatively lazy swell people can become unwell very quickly; thankfully with treatment and getting his vessel under tow the gentlemen started to recover as we brought him back to safety.’
The Lifeboat made it back to Grimsby at around midnight but unfortunately due to tide was unable to get into the docks. The decision was made to tie the disabled vessel alongside the Lifeboat and the RNLI team would wait the three hours necessary to allow the tide to rise enough to put the vessel safely in the marina.
The RNLI crew got the vessel safely tied up at around 3 o clock in the morning before taking the lifeboat to be refuelled before heading back to station with sun rising at Spurn Point. The Crew headed to bed at five o clock.  
END
NOTE TO EDITORS


• The Humber lifeboat station is based at Spurn point, which no longer has public access. The crew live at the station (a 6 day on and 6 day off rota).

• The first lifeboat was stationed at Spurn Point on October 29th 1810.

• Our Humber station has carried out some outstanding rescues during its 200-year history. One remarkable figure at the station was Coxswain Robert Cross who was awarded two Gold Medals, three Silver Medals, two Bronze Medals and the George Medal.
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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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About the author

Benjamin Mitchell
2nd Coxswain, Humber RNLI

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