Margate RNLI investigates report of children adrift in dinghy
Margate’s RNLI inshore lifeboat has responded to a report of three children in an inflatable dinghy drifting out to sea off the north Kent coast.
Around 6pm yesterday evening (Wednesday 21 August) UK Coastguard received reports of three children drifting out to sea in an inflatable dinghy off Westgate-on-Sea. A request for immediate launch of Margate’s RNLI inshore lifeboat was initiated by the coastguard with Margate Coastguard Rescue Team also tasked.
The lifeboat crew were about to start a routine training session at the boathouse and were able to quickly respond and once the lifeboat arrived on scene it was established that the dinghy and its occupants had made their way to shore safely. With the situation resolved the lifeboat returned to station.
Paul Hodson, Lifeboat Operations Manager, Margate RNLI said: “Inflatable dinghies can be extremely dangerous in certain circumstances and time is critical if they start to blow out to sea. We urge everyone to be vigilant and dial 999 and ask for coastguard if they have any doubt about the safety of anyone at sea, especially in inflatable dinghies. Safety advice can be found at https://rnli.org/safety/beach-safety in particular by scrolling down to the advice concerning inflatables.”
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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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