Yachting family towed to safety by the Sheerness RNLI lifeboat
A family of four were towed to safety after getting into difficulties in the Medway estuary
The volunteer crew of the Sheerness RNLI all weather lifeboat ‘The George and Ivy Swanson’ were called by the UK Coastguard on Thursday 17 August to reports of a yacht in difficulty in the River Medway.
The 27 foot yacht ‘Krista’ with a family of four on board had got in to difficulties after being unable to make headway against the fresh South Westerly wind in the estuary at the time and their problems were made worse when the crafts engine failed leaving the yacht drifting.
The ALB launched at 7.57pm and immediately established communications with the yacht which initial reports stated was approximately two miles from Kingsnorth in the Medway.
The yacht was actually drifting in the busy Medway Approach Channel close to the No 5 Channel Buoy when the ALB arrived on the scene at 8.20pm
The family consisting of mum and dad and their two boys (age 16 and 9 years) were understandably upset by their experience with the boys being particularly frightened, so a lifeboat crew member was placed on the yacht and mum and the two boys were taken onboard the ALB.
A tow was established at 8.25pm and the craft was then towed to the safety of Queenborough Harbour where it was secured at 9.07pm much to the relief of the family.
The ALB was back on station at 9.15pm
Ends
Media contacts:
• Vic Booth RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer (Sheerness) 07926904453 / 01795 880544 [email protected] / [email protected]
Paul Dunt RNLI Press Officer S.E. [email protected] 07786668825
• Tim Ash, RNLI Public Relations Manager (London/East/South East) on 0207 6207426, 07785 296252 [email protected]
• For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789
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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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