Ramsgate launch to sinking cargo vessel
Ramsgate RNLI’s all weather lifeboat (AWB) launched at 11.54pm yesterday to a 90m cargo vessel with seven crew aboard which had sent out a Mayday call reporting she was sinking 38 miles north east of Ramsgate in Force 9 north westerly winds.
As the AWB headed to the location the vessel sank with the crew taking to liferafts. Two other ships closer to the sinking vessel managed to rescue them all and from which they were subsequently airlifted to hospital by the Coastguard Search and Rescue helicopter based at Lydd. The UK Coastguard tasked the AWB crew to search for the sunken vessel’s Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPERB) which they located and recovered and after being stood down returned to Ramsgate, arriving at 5.10am.
Whilst this launch was underway the UK Coastguard also requested, at 12.33am, the launch of Ramsgate RNLI’s inshore lifeboat (ILB) following a report of five people in the sea at Viking Bay, Broadstairs. The ILB crew searched the area with the Margate Coastguard Rescue Team carrying out a shoreline search. With nothing found both teams were stood down with the ILB returning to station at 1.45am.
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John Ray, Volunteer RNLI Press Officer, Ramsgate on 07759 480825 [email protected]
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Tim Ash, RNLI Public Relations Manager (London/East/South East) on 0207 6207426, 07785 296252 [email protected]
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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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