Two calls for Whitstable Lifeboat
There have been two calls for Whitstable Lifeboat on Saturday.
The lifeboat was launched first at 12.09pm following a report from the UK Coastguard of EPIRB activation (emergency position-indicating radio beacon which signal’s maritime distress) in the vicinity of Milton Creek in The Swale.
Due to low water the lifeboat searched the area of the creek as far as possible before continuing the search over a wider area and up to Ridham Dock. After searching and nothing being found, the lifeboat was “stood down’ by Dover Coastguard and returned to station.
The lifeboat was launched again later in the day when at 2.53pm crews responded to a report of a jet ski on fire between Herne Bay and Reculver.
The lifeboat arrived in the area and initially nothing was seen, however the Herne Bay National Coastwatch advised the lifeboat crew that the casualty was near to Bishopstone Glen.
Shortly afterwards the crew located the craft on the beach at Beltinge. The two occupants, one male and one female reported that the Jet Ski had suffered an engine fire and had started sinking but had been towed ashore by another jet ski. On investigation of the craft the lifeboat crew found that a rubber hose had split in the engine bay allowing in water.
Assisted by the Herne Bay Coastguard Unit the craft was moved to a ramp on an adjacent t beach and although the ambulance service also attended both occupants of the craft declined medical assistance.
There have now been 16 calls on Whitstable’s volunteer lifeboat crews so far this year.
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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