Fleetwood RNLI join search for missing fishermen
Two fishermen, who were reported to UK Coastguard as overdue by their families, sparked a search off the Fylde coast on Thursday 24 November.
UK Coastguard requested the assistance of the volunteers at both RNLI Fleetwood and RNLI Blackpool to launch and assist the HM Coastguard Search and Rescue helicopter from Caernarfon, in their search.
The Shannon class lifeboat from Fleetwood, Kenneth James Pierpoint, found the fishermen off the coast at Cleveleys and towed their broken down vessel back to Knott End for their own safety. The Fleetwood inshore lifeboat assisted with the landing at Knott End.
Coxswain, Paul Ashworth said:‘Because weather conditions were expected to deteriorate over the night, the fishermen decided to accept our offer of a tow back to port. They weren’t aware of the worry they’d caused. We urge anybody taking to sea, to have a means of communication with them. Their families had no idea of their well-being and were clearly concerned. We thank our colleagues at RNLI Blackpool, the local Coastguard stations at Fleetwood and Lytham and the Search and Rescue helicopter for their help and support this evening’.
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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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