Exmouth’s Crew volunteers tasked to fishing boat in difficulty during Inspection
Crew volunteers were tasked by the UK Coastguard at 7pm on Wednesday 5 July to the aid of a broken down fishing boat nine miles south of the Exe estuary. Shannon class lifeboat R and J Welburn was on exercise during an RNLI three-yearly inspection.
The 27’ motorised fishing vessel was towed back to their mooring in the river Exe and the three casualties on board were taken ashore. The three RNLI surveyors continued the engine trials of R and J Welburn after the service and returned to station at approximately 9.30pm.
Lifeboat Operations Manager, Kevin Riley said:
‘All RNLI stations are subjected to comprehensive three-yearly inspections which includes checking our lifeboats are running to the highest standard set by our charity to save lives at sea. Even when we are on inspection, exercise or on trials, our volunteers are always on call to people in difficulty.’
On 6 July, Crew volunteers were tasked following two separate calls to the UK Coastguard concerning the welfare of a man and a two year old child at the extreme end of Sandy Bay point, possibly in danger of being cut off by the tide. Inshore lifeboat George Bearman II launched at 7.31pm and was on scene within seven minutes. Both the man and child were safely on the beach and volunteers stood by until Exmouth Coastguard Rescue Team arrived to handle the situation.
Notes to Editors
Photos: (Credit: Exmouth RNLI)
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Shannon class lifeboat R and J Welburn tows the broken down fishing boat back to mooring.
For more information please telephone Emma Tarling, Exmouth RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07837 810082 or email: [email protected].
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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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