Clacton RNLI’s volunteers launched three times over Easter weekend
The volunteers of Clacton RNLI were requested to launch three times by UK Coastguard over the festive period.
At 3.15pm on Good Friday, Clacton RNLI’s D class inshore lifeboat Arthur Hamilton was launched at the request of UK Coastguard after a Mayday call was received from a vessel somewhere between Brightlingsea and Wivenhoe.
The three volunteers aboard the lifeboat located the casualty vessel high and dry approximately one mile down river from Wivenhoe.The lifeboat was manoeuvred as close as safely possible, but the crew could still only communicate with the occupant by shouting.
The occupant reported to be safe and well and was happy to wait aboard their motor vessel until the next flood tide. Understandably they did however request assistance in navigating to Brightlingsea once their vessel had re-floated, to prevent them going aground again. It was agreed that the lifeboat would return on the next flood tide and escort them into Brightlingsea.
On route back to station the volunteer crew assisted a capsized sailing dinghy, before continuing back to station, where they were recovered at 4.45pm.
At 9.45pm the lifeboat was relaunched. On arrival alongside the vessel a crew member was transferred across to help manage the tow. Once in safe water the tow line was dropped and the lifeboat escorted the vessel into Brightlingsea Harbour, where it was placed on its berth. With all being well, the crew member returned to the lifeboat and returned to station, arriving at 1am on 20 April.
Senior Helmsman Tim Dye, who was aboard the relaunched lifeboat, said; ‘We don’t often get chance to practice this far up river, so the relaunch proved a good training exercise for newer crew members, as well as the reassurance it gave to the occupant of the vessel.’
Later the same day at 3.20pm the volunteers were launched again at the request of UK Coastguard, this time to help in a multi-agency search for a missing child. Not long into their search they were stood down as the child had been found safe and well ashore by Essex Police Officers. The lifeboat was ready for service again by 4pm.
In 2018 Clacton RNLI were launched 40 times, resulting in four lives being saved. None of which would have been possible without the tremendous support we receive from our local community.
Notes to editor
D class inshore lifeboat Arthur Hamilton from the relief fleet is currently on station while Damarkand IV is away awaiting repair.
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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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