Douglas RNLI called out to assist in recovery of a small dinghy in difficulty.

A concerned member of the public had observed the small rubber dinghy with two people on board in apparent difficulty on the seaward side of the Victoria Pier toward the Tower of Refuge and immediately called the Coastguard who in turn requested the assistance of Douglas lifeboat.

Douglas all-weather lifeboat, Marine Engineer, was launched under the command of coxswain Edd Christian. Fortunately with not far to go the lifeboat was quickly on the scene as daylight was beginning to fade and the wind rising.

Reaching the dinghy the two occupants were transferred to the lifeboat and found to be well and none the worse for their experience. With the dinghy under tow, the lifeboat returned to Douglas harbour and left the dinghy with one contingent of the Coastguard on the Visitors’ Pontoon at the Battery Pier.

The dinghy’s two occupants remained on the lifeboat while the lifeboat was recovered to the boathouse and after disembarking were given into the care of a further contingent of Coastguard while the lifeboat volunteer crew washed down and re-fuelled the lifeboat to make it ready again for service,

Notes to editors
Caption for attached photo: Dinghy being left with Coastguard. Credit: RNLI/Michael Howland

RNLI media contacts
For more information please contact Mike Howland, Douglas RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07624496029, email [email protected] or contact
Nuala McAloon RNLI Regional Media Officer Ireland on 00353876483547 or email [email protected] or Niamh Stephenson RNLI Regional Media Manager Ireland on 00353871254124 or [email protected]

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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