Man removed to safety from a yacht aground in the River Medway

The volunteer crew of the Sheerness RNLI relief fleet all weather lifeboat ‘Forward Birmingham’ were tasked by the UK Coastguard on Monday 15 April to a yacht that was aground and listing badly at the entrance to Sharfleet Creek in the River Medway.

The ALB launched at 1.50pm and located the casualty with one man on board at 2.05pm.

Due to the lack of water the man rowed his tender across to the lifeboat and once safely onboard he was taken to the all-tide landing in Queenborough harbour and passed to the care of the Sheppey Coastguard Rescue team.

The ALB returned to station at 3.15pm.Wind Easterly blowing 20knots with good visibility.

Ends

Media contacts:

Vic Booth RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer (Sheerness) 07926904453 / 01795 880544 vic_booth@rnli.org.uk

Paul Dunt RNLI Press Officer S.E. paul_dunt@rnli.org.uk 07785296252

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 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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