Two more launches for the Sheerness RNLI lifeboat volunteers.

The Sheerness inshore lifeboat was launched at 5.17pm on Tuesday 14 August after a call from the UK Coastguard reported that a small dinghy with two men on board was reported to be in difficulty, with its occupants struggling to row across the tide, in the area of the Martello Tower off Grain. The initial call to the UK Coastguard had come from a passing craft whose crew had spotted the tiny dinghy.

The lifeboat arrived on the scene at 5.24pm and observed that the men had now managed to get the 8-foot dinghy out of the tidal run and were now close to the shore. Having established that both persons were ok the ILB returned to station at 5.42pm. Wind westerly force 3-4

The inshore lifeboat was launched again at 11.47pm the same evening after a call from the UK Coastguard reported an incident had taken place at Rochester and the lifeboat was required to assist in a search of the area between Rochester Bridge and Gashouse Point.

The ILB was on the scene at 0.17am and received further information that calls for help had been heard coming from a boat moored in the area.

The craft was quickly located close to the shore with a 42year old woman on board who had a suspected broken ankle. The Medway Coastguard Rescue Team and a Kent Police unit were in attendance on the shore.

With very poor access to the casualty the lifeboat crew handed over the incident to the Medway Coastguard Rescue Team and no further action was taken by the ILB which was released at 2.25am and back on station at 3.10am. After both the lifeboat and its crew had been ‘hosed down’ to remove large amounts of Medway mud the lifeboat was ready for service again at 3.55am.

Further information reported that the lady had been removed from the craft by the Kent Fire and Rescue team using mud mats to gain access to the casualty.

Wind westerly force 3 with good visibility.

Ends

Media contacts:

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

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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