Both Poole Lifeboats launched just before 7pm Tuesday (June 23) initially to a report of young swimmers in difficulty by the Chain Ferry at the entrance of the harbour.
As both boats launched the D Class was redeployed to a broken-down speedboat with 3 people on board, outside the entrance of the Harbour just off the beach, one of the occupants was heavily pregnant.
Conditions in Poole Bay were calm and fine, and the beaches were busy. As the lifeboat arrived on scene, information had come through that 3 of the swimmers had been recovered by passing boats.
The lifeboat transferred the casualties off the boats that had responded and checked that the young swimmers were okay, then they ascertained that there had been a 4th swimmer who had reportedly made their own way back to the shore.
The lifeboat took the swimmers back to the beach at Sandbanks and the confirmed that the 4th person was there safe and well, the lifeboat then returned to station
Meanwhile, the D Class had found the broken-down speedboat and checked that everyone was okay, a towline was attached and the volunteers, brought them safely back into the harbour and back to Baiter Slipway, where the volunteer Poole search and rescue Coastguard were on hand to greet them.
Both lifeboats returned to station, thoroughly washed down, refuelled and were made ready for service by 8.45pm when information came through that a jet ski had broken down in Poole Bay.
The lifeboat relaunched and made its way through the harbour and out into Poole Bay, where some 6 miles from the entrance of the harbour, they located the jet ski with one person on-board by, not far from one of the cruise ships.
The lifeboat crew checked that the person was okay and transferred him into the lifeboat, a towline was attached to the stricken jet ski and as light was fading the crew headed back to Baiter Slipway.
With the casualty landed safely ashore, the volunteers returned to the station, conducted a wash down refuelled and were ready for service by 11pm.
Poole Lifeboat Volunteer Helm Jonathan Clark said;
‘With the weather forecast set fair for the next couple of days, we want people to enjoy themselves but please take care, be aware of the dangers, know your limits and don't take risks. If you find yourself in an emergency or spot someone else in trouble, call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard’.
RNLI/Poole Lifeboat
Speedboat broken down just outside the entrance of the Harbour
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.
