Drifting cruiser towed to safety in the Medway Estuary

The volunteer crew of the Sheerness RNLI inshore lifeboat ‘Buster’ were called by the UK Coastguard at 5.03pm on Saturday 3 June 2017 to search for an 8mtr cruiser ‘Dougal’ reported broken down with engine failure and drifting in the Medway estuary. The emergency call was made by mobile phone which was the only means of communication and the caller stated they were unsure of the crafts position and also that they were not able to drop an anchor.

The craft with five persons on board, two adults and three children aged nine, seven and two years, was originally on route from the Medway area and making for Gravesend.

The crew of the inshore lifeboat located the casualty at 5.37pm drifting in the area of No.16 buoy close to Oakham Ness and very near to the main shipping channel

The crew checked that all on board were ok and after a tow line was attached the vessel and its occupants were towed back to the safety of Queenborough all tide landing where they were handed over to members of the Sheppey Coastguard unit at 8.46pm suffering no ill effects.

The ILB was back on station and ready for duty again at 9.20pm.

Sheerness RNLI lifeboat 2^nd Coxswain Paul Jarvis said: ‘we advise that every journey at sea, whether by experienced or inexperienced crew, should be properly planned and these plans should include full knowledge of the vessels machinery, communication and navigation equipment and also that the vessel has suitable and working safety equipment. This incident was just one of a number of a similar nature we have been called out to over the last few weeks and could have ended so much differently in what is a very busy shipping area’

Ends

Media contacts:

Vic Booth RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer (Sheerness) 07926904453 / 01795 880544 [email protected]

Paul Dunt RNLI Press Officer S.E. [email protected] 07786668825

• Tim Ash, RNLI Public Relations Manager (London/East/South East) on 0207

For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789

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.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.