Sheerness RNLI lifeboats called to three separate incidents.
The volunteer crew of the Sheerness RNLI lifeboats were called out three times in less than 24hrs at the weekend.
The inshore lifeboat launched at 5.38pm on Friday 3 August after a call from the UK Coastguard reported that a life ring had been spotted in the River Medway at Rochester and due to the angle of the ring in the water it was unclear if anyone was holding on to it.
At 5.49pm the call was uprated to a person in the water and at 5.55pm further information was given reporting that a dog was also in the river in the same area.
Having made best speed the lifeboat was on the scene at 6.06pm and immediately found two life rings and two boat fenders tied together and attached to an anchor and chain, which it was presumed was what the caller had seen. Having recovered the items from the water the crew were advised that the dog was also now safe ashore and re-united with its owner.
The lifeboat was stood down and returned to station where after cleaning and re-fuelling was ready for service again at 7.30pm. Winds Easterly F.2
Later the same day the all-weather lifeboat was launched at the request of the UK Coastguards after a call reported that a 47foot narrowboat was in trouble just East of Garrison Point in the Medway estuary. The craft with three people on board was on route from the Northampton canal system and heading for a new home at Allington, Maidstone when its engine failed just off Sheerness. The only method of communicating with the craft was by mobile phone as it did not have any VHF system in place.
On leaving its berth in The Camber the lifeboat found the narrowboat alongside one of the Svitzer tugs moored on no.11 berth in Sheerness docks. The casualty was secured alongside the ALB and then towed to the all tide landing at Queenborough where it was moored at 10.41pm to be met by the Sheppey Coastguard Rescue Team.
The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service at 11.11pm.
The inshore lifeboat crew launched again at 8.34pm on Saturday 4 August after another call from the UK Coastguard reported that a speedboat with five people on board had run out of fuel and was drifting in the River Medway near to Kingsnorth Power station.
The crew located the craft at 8.50pm close to Oakham Ness jetty and established that the three men, one lady and a three-year-old child on board were all ok before towing it to the Gillingham Marina where it was able to take on fuel at 9.43pm.
Having made sure the casualty was safely under way back to its base at Cuxton Marina the ILB returned to station and was ready for service again at 11.00pm
Ends
RNLI media contacts
Vic Booth RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer (Sheerness) 07926904453 / 01795 880544 [email protected] / [email protected]
Paul Dunt RNLI Press Officer S.E. [email protected] 07785296252
For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789
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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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