Littlehampton RNLI take over tow of broken down leisure craft.
Volunteers at Littlehampton RNLI assist in the recovery of a leisure craft that had suffered engine failure.
At 5.11pm on Tuesday 15 May following a call from the UK Coastguard the volunteer crew assembled in readiness to launch the stations D Class lifeboat Ray of Hope. Due to the receding tide a decision was taken to delay the launch until 8.00pm, when the water level in the river Arun would be deep enough for the lifeboat to safely enter with the casualty in tow. The leisure craft with two people onboard was reported to be anchored one mile south of Littlehampton Harbour. At 7.00pm it was decided to launch the lifeboat and take over the tow from the Shoreham lifeboat which was in attendance, as the casualty was drifting closer to the shore with its anchor dragging along the sea bed and towed it out to deeper water. With the D Class lifeboat alongside the casualty the tow rope was taken over and the Shoreham lifeboat was released. The casualty was then towed back to the slipway at Fisherman’s Wharf, where the owner recovered the craft to its trailer. The lifeboat was returned to the station at 8.30pm where it was refuelled and made ready for service.
RNLI media contacts
- Ray Pye, Littlehampton RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer / 07854 074688, email [email protected]
- Paul Dunt, Regional Media Officer (South East) on 0207 6207426, 07785 296252 email [email protected]
- 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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