Littlehampton RNLI rescue stranded leisure craft.
The skipper of the vessel had contacted the UK Coastguard via VHF radio advising that he had run aground and requested assistance.
Littlehampton RNLI’s Atlantic 85 lifeboat Renée Sherman and volunteer crew launched at 1.46pm on Sunday 16 September and headed out in good weather conditions towards the reported scene at East Preston, three miles south east of the harbour entrance. On arrival the casualty with two adults on-board was aground in very shallow water. The lifeboat crew rigged up a tow line in readiness for its recovery from the beach and then towed the casualty into deeper water. Once in deeper water it was discovered that the casualty had damaged its rudder and was having steerage issues. During the journey back to the harbour, the lifeboat crew contacted the Harbour Master and asked for his assistance in berthing the casualty once it was back at its moorings. This was agreed, and the lifeboat and Harbour Master’s rib safely moored the casualty at Town Quay. The lifeboat returned to the station at 3.00pm 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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