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Rye Harbour and Dungeness RNLI join forces in assisting a fishing vessel

Lifeboats News Release

On Thursday 5 July Dungeness Lifeboat responded to a request from HM Coastguard to go to the assistance of a broken-down boat off Dungeness Point.

vessel and lifeboat in harbour

RNLI/KT Bruce

Stricken Vessel safely tied up at the quay in Rye Harbour


Rye Harbour RNLI was then asked to assist in towing the stricken vessel safely into the Harbour quay. At 12.25 the volunteer crew launched their boat in good weather but as they got out to sea a thick mist descended and visibility was down to half a mile. The two lifeboats met 3 miles south of the Rye Harbour entrance and the vessel, a 16ft Warrior 150 pleasure angling craft, was hitched to the Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat from Rye Harbour and was towed safely into the station.

Paul Castle, skipper of the Macacan, said, “A big thank you from us for a marvellous job well done. We will be giving a good donation to the RNLI. We are grateful for the speedy response. When we broke down we were right near the shipping lanes and there was a great deal of traffic but we were able to drop anchor and wait for help.’

Tony Peters, helm at Rye Harbour commented, ‘This shout was a good example of how the RNLI is just not close family within the station but also how neighbouring stations are part of our extended family. We all work as a team to save lives at sea.”

RNLI Media contacts

KT Bruce, Rye Harbour RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer (07789) 818878 [email protected]

Paul Dunt, Regional Media Officer (South East), 0207 6207426, 07785 296252 [email protected]

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

RNLI online: For more information on the RNLI please visit http://www.rnli.org/. News releases and other media resources, including RSS feeds, downloadable photos and video, are available at the RNLI News Centre.

Key facts about the RNLI

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is the charity that saves lives at sea. Our volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service in the United Kingdom and Ireland from 237 lifeboat stations, including four along the River Thames and inland lifeboat stations at Loch Ness, Lough Derg, Enniskillen and Lough Ree. Additionally the RNLI has more than 1,000 lifeguards on over 180 beaches around the UK and operates a specialist flood rescue team, which can respond anywhere across the UK and Ireland when inland flooding puts lives at risk.

The RNLI relies on public donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. As a charity it is separate from, but works alongside, government-controlled and funded coastguard services. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824 our lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved at least 140,000 lives. Volunteers make up 95% of the charity, including 4,600 volunteer lifeboat crew members and 3,000 volunteer shore crew. Additionally, tens of thousands of other dedicated volunteers raise funds and awareness, give safety advice, and help in our museums, shops and offices.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter 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 or by email.

The RNLI is a charity registered in England and Wales (209603) and Scotland (SC037736). Charity number 20003326 in the Republic of Ireland.

crew members and Tony Peters Helm

RNLI/KT Bruce

briefing by helm Tony Peters at Rye Harbour RNLI station
tractor and lifeboat in the river

kt bruce

tractor had to go deeply into the water of the Rother so the lifeboat could be launched
tractor and lifeboat soon on dry land

RNLI/KT Bruce

Rye Harbour boat safely back and soon on dry land
Winni Jarvis

RNLI/KT Bruce

Winni Jarvis fro Tower lifeboat station joined the crew today
lifeboat and stricken vessel retuning to station

RNLI/KT Bruce

being towed along the River Rother to safety

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.

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