Lymington RNLI lifeboat launched after fishing boat runs aground in thick fog
On Tuesday 25 October at 7.39pm the Lymington RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew were paged to launch to assist a fishing vessel reported to have run aground on mud flats.
Launching the David Bradley, Lymington’s Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat, the crew arrived on scene one mile east of Lymington at 7.51pm, to find two men onboard a fishing boat which was stuck on mud flats as the tide was going out.
The lifeboat crew secured a tow line to the vessel and towed her off the mud flats, refloating her in deeper water. It appears the crew had got into difficulty after drifting with the tide while fishing.
The lifeboat crew continued to tow the vessel to the safety of Lymington River, where she was moored up at a marina.
RNLI volunteer senior helm Kev Costa said: ‘This was a fairly textbook launch for us and we were happy to help the two crew on board. They weren’t in any immediate danger but would have had to spend a cold night on the mud flats had we not removed them quickly as the tide was ebbing. They did the right thing in calling the UK Coastguard for help though, who then tasked us to launch the lifeboat. The RNLI would always rather people in distress call for assistance because if a situation worsens it can quickly become much more serious.
‘The two men on board had a radio which they used to call for help, and that is something we always encourage – to carry a means of calling for help. Even the most experienced sailors can get caught out by the sea so it is advisable to be prepared for all eventualities.’
The lifeboat returned to Lymington RNLI lifeboat station at 8.58pm and the shore crew readied her for further service.
For more safety advice while angling at sea visit http://rnli.org/safety/respect-the-water/activities/Pages/angling.aspx
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For further information please contact Glenn Julius, Lymington Press Officer, Mob: 07802 403733 [email protected] or Tim Ash RNLI Public Relations Manager (London/south east/east) Tel: 0207 6207426 Mob: 07785 296252
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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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