Dart RNLI rescue 80 year old sailor from the River Dart.
The RNLI Dart inshore lifeboat crew rescued a semi-conscious elderly man who had fallen in the water whilst boarding his yacht on Saturday 23 September at 11pm.
The casualty was transferring from a pontoon in the river to his live aboard yacht when he fell in. His cries for help were heard by John Sealey who was just ending his shift on the Yacht Taxi close by. John was able to throw him a life ring and secure it but could not lift him from the water. Mr Sealey immediately called the Coastguard who tasked the RNLI Dart D class lifeboat, the Dartmouth Coastguard SAR team and the Police.
James Hoare, who is senior helm at RNLI Torbay, was standing in as relief helm at Dart RNLI for the weekend and the lifeboat was with the casualty in 12 minutes from the pager being activated. Haydn Glanvill, paramedic on the lifeboat crew, went into the water to support the casualty who was semi conscious and after 20 minutes in the water was quite incapable of helping himself.
The lifeboat was directed to the Town pontoon where the casualty could be placed on a Coastguard stretcher and was assessed by the paramedic. The D class then moved the short distance to the Lower Ferry slip where an ambulance was waiting. He was brought ashore by a combined team from the RNLI Dart lifeboat and shore teams, the Coastguards and Police. When his condition slowly started to improve with treatment he was transferred to Torbay Hospital where he was admitted.
The D class lifeboat used by the Dart volunteers had come from the RNLI's relief fleet whilst the Dart lifeboat was being serviced. This was D812's first ever shout.
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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