Sheerness RNLI lifeboat launched to a ‘man overboard’ call.
The Sheerness inshore lifeboat responded after reports that a man had fallen from his yacht and was in the water at Upnor on the River Medway.
The volunteer crew of the Sheerness inshore lifeboat ‘Buster’ launched at 5.18pm on Saturday 15 September after a call from the UK Coastguard reported that a man had fallen from his yacht and was in the water at Upnor.
Whilst on route the lifeboat was further advised that the passenger vessel ‘Jacob Marley’ had arrived on the scene and that a person in a dinghy was holding onto a person who was in the water.
Making best speed to the scene the lifeboat crew found the casualty, a 60-year-old man, was now in the dinghy and was thought to have been in the water for approximately 30 minutes. As well as being very cold he also had a dislocated shoulder and reported having a number of other ongoing medical conditions.
Having transferred the casualty to the lifeboat he was then landed ashore at the Wilsonian Yacht Club, Upnor where he was then treated by a Coastguard Paramedic before being taken to hospital by ambulance at 8.40pm.
Before returning to station the ILB crew returned to the man’s yacht and made it secure.
It is believed that the man was alone on the craft and ended up in the water whilst attempting to get into a small dinghy which was tied alongside the yacht and partly submerged. His calls for help had been heard from the shore from where the initial emergency call was made.
The ILB was back on station at 9.40pm. Wind SSW force 2.
Ends
Media contacts:
Vic Booth RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer (Sheerness) 07926904453 / 01795 880544 / [email protected]
Paul Dunt RNLI Press Officer S.E. [email protected] 07786668825
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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