Poole lifeboats launched three in a row

The first launch request came through on Saturday night (August 11) at 9.20 pm the launch was to a 32ft yacht that had broken from its mooring off Parkstone Yacht Club,

A small rib with three people had launched from the yacht club in attempt to recover the vessel, with one person transferred across onto the yacht the two other occupants on the rib tried to attempt a tow, but with the conditions it was just too much.

Visibility was poor with the westerly wind gusting F6-7 and rough choppy seas were hampering the rib, making its attempts futile. When the lifeboat arrived on scene they found the yacht perilously close to the break water, just 20 metres off in the extreme conditions.

The crew made an attempt to attach a tow and endeavoured to secure the yacht and bring it safely away from danger, the lifeboat brought the vessel safely into Poole Quay Boat Haven, where the Poole coastguard team were on hand to greet them. The rib had made its own way back to its mooring at the Yacht club.

The lifeboat then returned to station and was made ready for service by 11.30 pm.

Volunteer Helm Rob Inett said;

‘Rough and choppy water can quickly drain even the most experienced sea users of energy and the situation deteriorated quickly, the sea conditions were very challenging with a 2 metres swell at the Parkstone Starting Platform, we were glad to get the vessel and person on-board secure and safe as it could have been a very different outcome’.

Sunday (August 12) brought calmer conditions, the wind still blustery from the west F3-4, the crew were getting ready to launch on exercise when a launch request came through from the UK Coastguard to assist a 53ft motor vessel with two people on-board that had encountered hydraulic problems which was affecting the steering as they were on passage to Poole.

With the blustering conditions, the Coastguard requested that the vessel drop anchor on the approach to Poole.

The lifeboat was soon on scene and it was decided that the lifeboat would escort the vessel back into Poole Harbour, but they first transferred a crew member on-board, checking that all was okay and also that someone would be on hand to attach a tow line if needed.

The vessel was escorted to a mooring at the Port of Poole, the crewman returned to the lifeboat and then the lifeboat headed back to station.

After refuelling the lifeboat was made ready for service by 10.15 am, it wasn’t the only thing re-fuelled as when the crew came back ashore they found that Lifeboat Operation Manager was cooking bacon butty's, keeping the crew sustained ready for the next call, which came, later in the evening

Both Poole Lifeboats were tasked by the UK Coastguard at 8.10 pm (Sunday August 11th) as a report had come through that a dinghy had been spotted washed up by the RNLI College.

The lifeboats were through the bridges and were soon on scene, they began to search the area, as there may have been a person or person(s) in the water.

Conditions were smooth, visibility clear and the wind had dropped to a force 3.

The lifeboat crew came across a person who identified the tender, they gave the crew information as to who had been using the tender.

The volunteer crew, approached a yacht moored in the back waters and found the casualty safely aboard, it was apparent that they had been in the water but had managed to get out and into the vessel.

Casualty care was administered by the crew and a volunteer Lifeboat Medical adviser, who had been standing by at the station was transferred the short distance to the yacht to assess the casualty.

An ambulance had been requested and the casualty was transferred by the Lifeboat to the ambulance, which was standing by at the RNLI College slipway, the ambulance took the casualty to hospital.

Both lifeboats returned back to station and were made ready for service by 21.30 pm.

This was the 93rd call out for the volunteers so far this year, it has been an incredibly busy time for all.

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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