Weymouth lifeboat launched
West Bay and Lyme Regis Cliff Rescue Teams were carrying out a rescue of a family of 2 adults and a child who had been cut off by the tide at Freshwater Beach near Bridport.
With a rising tide and severe gale force 9 winds and a rough sea there was the danger that the family could be swept out to sea before they could be rescued. Weymouth RNLI all-weather lifeboat Ernest and Mabel was launched at 12.35pm on Saturday 10th August as a precautionary move to cover against the possibility of them being swept away.
However at 12.58pm just before the lifeboat had reached Portland Bill news came in from Solent Coastguard that the family had been rescued, so the lifeboat was stood down and returned to station refuelled and made ready for the next shout.
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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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
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