Clacton RNLI volunteer’s launch to fishing boat with engine failure
Clacton’s RNLI volunteers assist a fishing vessel suffering engine failure six miles south of Clacton-on-Sea with two men aboard.
On Thursday 27 September at 1pm Clacton RNLI’s Atlantic class lifeboat ‘David Porter MPS’ was launched with four volunteer crew members at the request of Dover Coastguard to assist a 15-foot fishing vessel that had suffered engine failure.
The Coastguard were able to report that the two gentlemen aboard were in good spirits and in no immediate danger and had deployed their anchor, but only had a mobile phone for communication.
On arrival alongside the casualty vessel, which was located near to the North Middle Buoy, a member of the crew was placed aboard the casualty vessel with two emergency lifejackets for the two occupants and began to prepare the vessel to be towed to Brightlingsea.
After 90 minutes the Atlantic class lifeboat arrived at Brightlingsea harbour with the casualty in tow, where they were met by members of the harbourmaster’s team who arranged for the vessel to be recovered to its trailer.
Helmsman Eddie Vaughan-Chatfield said; ‘They were in good spirits when we arrived, but I would like to stress the importance of wearing a lifejacket when going to sea as things can change very quickly, as seen on Tuesday’s (25.09.18) episode of Saving Lives at Sea with the story of the two fishermen off Whitstable’.
Eddie went on to recommend having a working VHF radio as the majority of RNLI lifeboats have equipment allowing them to track a VHF radio signal if a casualty is unsure of their position, and the mobile phone signal becomes very patchy as you go further offshore.
The lifeboats of the RNLI on average assisted 22 people a day in 2017
RNLI media contacts
- Richard Wigley, Lifeboat Press Officer, Clacton RNLI: 07903 424698
- Clare Hopps, RNLI Regional Media Officer, North East and East: 07824 518641
- For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789
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.
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