Busy weekend continues for both Poole Lifeboats
Poole D Class lifeboat was launched just before 6pm (Saturday January 14) by Solent Coastguard to a vessel that had reported to be aground in Holes Bay.’
The vessel was purported to be aground on the south side of Holes Bay, the inshore lifeboat found the vessel a 17ft Boston Whaler with 4 people on-board , it was about 30 metres from the channel sat upon the mud, not going anywhere.The lifeboat crew arrived on scene and assessed the situation, the casualties were okay but cold. Poole coastguard had also been deployed, so the lifeboat crew requested that the Coastguards assist with the mud rescue.
The lifeboat returned back to station and picked the Poole Coastguard volunteers up who had kitted themselves in their mud rescue kit, The lifeboat with Coastguards on-board returned back to the scene with the necessary equipment to try to extract the stricken vessel and extra blankets to keep the casualties warm.
Once on scene coastguards and two lifeboat crew walked to the vessel and distributed blankets to the casualties as the temperature was dropping in the night air. Working together one casualty was stretchered back to the inshore lifeboat, and as the tide was starting to shift a decision was made to attach a long line to the vessel aground and wait for the tide to come back so that the lifeboat could pull it off. This it did and the lifeboat successfully re-floated the vessel and it came alongside.
At this stage the Police Rib had also been deployed with a couple of lifeboat crew on-board to assist, it was standing by, then some of the casualties were transferred on-board the rib.
The lifeboat took the stricken vessel back to Cobbs Quay and the lifeboat crew with the Coastguards on-board returned back to station for a thorough wash down of the kit . The police rib had brought the other casualties safely ashore, they were cold but none the worse for the adventure.
As the other incident was unfolding Solent coastguard contacted the lifeboat house and requested the launch of the Atlantic lifeboat to assist a 40 foot classic built yacht.
The yacht was on passage from Haslar to Portland with 4 people on-board when they had suffered machinery failure. They had managed to sail up to the harbour entrance, but due to the extremely strong tide which was against them, they had to drop their anchor to wait for the tide to ease. Unfortunately the tide turned and came in stronger which made recovery of the anchor impossible. The occupants on-board were concerned as to whether they would be able to get to and recover the mooring buoy safely. So the lifeboat was tasked, when on scene the crew secured an alongside tow then manoeuvred the yacht to enable recovery of the anchor, they lifeboat then brought the vessel safely back into the harbour and putting them onto the mooring at Brownsea to enable repairs to be completed.
The Atlantic lifeboat returned to station just after 19:30pm
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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