Calls to boats with engine failure have been the story of the year for Dart
The RNLI Dart lifeboat crew have been busier than ever this year and 24 adults and 2 children have been rescued.
This weekend (12/13 May) a motor cruiser with five on board was towed back to Dartmouth from near Stoke Gabriel by the Dart volunteer crew after they caught a rope around their propeller. The weekend before, the volunteers were tasked to three incidents in a row, without having the time to return to the lifeboat station in between. All three were due to engine failures for one reason or another.
On Tuesday 15 May the pagers sounded and resulted in a six minute launch as the lifeboat was being prepared for the bi-weekly training exercise and the crew were already in their dry suits. The call was to a 25ft. 3.25 tonne angling vessel which was found drifting east one mile beyond the Mewstone, outside the entrance to Dartmouth harbour. Again the cause of the callout was engine failure.
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 over 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and, in a normal year, 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 142,700 lives.
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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.