Dungeness RNLI tasked to assist sailing vessel in difficulty in strong winds
On 22 August 2020, the Dungeness Shannon-class lifeboat and her volunteer crew were tasked to assist a sailing vessel in need of urgent assistance in the shipping lanes of the English Channel.
The pagers alerted the crew at 7.37am and the lifeboat launched to search for the vessel approximately 17 miles south east of Dungeness. There were two dredgers in the area assisting with the search and one was able to inform the lifeboat of the casualty vessel’s position.
Once on scene, it was established that there was one person on board who needed assistance due to the force 7/8 winds overwhelming the sailing boat.
A crewman was put on board to assist and a tow line was established. It was decided that the lifeboat would tow the casualty to Eastbourne however due to the force of the weather, plans were then changed and the casualty was towed to the safety of Rye Harbour. The lifeboat then returned to station and was back on service by 4pm.
Stuart Adams, RNLI Coxswain for Dungeness RNLI Lifeboat, says: ‘The casualty vessel was in difficulty due to the strong winds and did the right thing in calling the UK Coastguard for help. We always advise that you take a means of communication with you when entering or sailing on any body of water so that you can dial ‘999’ and ask for help in an emergency.’
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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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