Dungeness lifeboat responds to May Day call from a de-masted yacht
On Friday 23 June at 6.08pm the Dungeness lifeboat launched at the request of the UK coastguard to a 42’ de-masted yacht with three persons on board, giving out a May Day distress call, six miles south of Rye Harbour.
Once on scene, deputy second coxswain Mark Richardson, in charge of the RNLI Shannon class lifeboat 13-02 ‘The Morrell’ and her volunteer crew went along side the stricken vessel to ascertain the problem and to establish the well-being of the crew on board.
Due to the boom being broken it was decided to escort the casualty to the lee of the Dungeness point and assist the vessel to make a safe anchorage in the bay off Littlestone to allow the crew on the yacht to be more comfortable to rest for the night so they could make their own way on to Dover the following day.
The lifeboat returned to station, refuelled and was made ready for service by 9.45pm. Deputy second coxswain Richardson said ‘accidents happen on all vessels and we were happy to be of assistance in escorting the casualty to a safe anchorage’.
RNLI media contacts
- Judith Richardson – Dungeness RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer
Tel: 01797 320062/Mob: 07859264226 - Email: [email protected]
- Tim Ash, RNLI Public Relations Manager (London/South East/East)
0207 6207426 / 07785 296252 / [email protected] - Paul Dunt, RNLI Press Officer (London/East/South East) 020 7620 7416/ 07786 66882 [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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