Two men rescued from the River Medway
The Sheerness RNLI inshore lifeboat was launched after reports of two men in difficulties in a small rubber dinghy
The volunteer crew of the Sheerness RNLI inshore lifeboat launched at 8.55pm on Monday 17 July after a call from the UK Coastguard reported that two men in a very small rubber dinghy were in trouble in the area of the Medway Yacht Club close to Upnor.
In a bizarre set of circumstances it appears the men aged 35 and 45 had fallen into the water whilst trying to row their tiny dinghy back to the shore.
Once in the water the two somehow managed to grab hold of a life raft from one of the Royal Engineers RHIB boats moored close by. Once in the water the life raft inflated and the two men managed to climb on board taking their own dinghy with them.
Having clambered onboard the two then proceeded to let off two red emergency parachute flares and two orange smoke flares they found on the life raft.
After arriving on the scene the crew of the ILB took both men off the life raft and landed them ashore where the crew of the Medway Coastguard Unit were waiting to receive them.
The ILB then went back out and retrieved the life raft which was also handed over to the Coastguard crew on the shore at Upnor.
Having been in the water for some time both men were reported as being very cold after their ordeal.
No further details were given as to why the men were out on the water or for what reason.
The ILB returned to station at 10.25pm
Ends
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