Team effort rescue sinking landing craft
Barry Dock worked alongside lifeboats from Minehead and Burnham on Sea to assist a landing craft that was sinking off Hinkley Point.
At 1846 on Saturday evening they responded and launched their Trent class lifeboat Inner wheel II. They made best speed towards the vessel and arrived on scene at around 1930 and joined Minehead lifeboat and Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 187 who were already on scene with their salvage pumps.
Minehead Lifeboat was used to transfer two crew members and for a salvage pump to help bail the landing craft whose front ramp had failed and was letting in water.
Both lifeboats began to escort the vessel towards the nearest safe haven of Burnham on Sea. One of the vessel's crewmembers was transferred to Minehead lifeboat and then winched by Rescue 187 to be treated for hypothermia.
Burnham on Sea Lifeboat was launched to help guide Barry Dock lifeboat through the difficult approach towards Burnham on Sea and Minehead was stood down. Barry Dock lifeboat arrived at Burnham on Sea at around 2145 where the vessel was safely beached at the Yacht Club to allow repairs to be made the next day.
Coxswain David 'Digger' Brooks, said: 'It was a difficult shout in some challenging conditions, but with some great teamwork from our RNLI and Coastguard colleagues, we were able to save the vessel and its crew from sinking, so the final outcome was a success'.
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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