Swanage lifeboat launches during ‘clap for key workers’
This week Swanage lifeboats have been tasked to two separate incidents.
On Tuesday 5 May, the all-weather lifeboat, the George Thomas Lacy, was asked to attend a search for a person in the water following detection of a distress signal from a personal locator beacon.
The Swanage lifeboat arrived on scene at the location of the last recorded distress signal around 10 minutes after launching and commenced a search.
The Swanage lifeboat was searching alongside another vessel that was in the area at the time and the HM Coastguard helicopter. After 45 minutes of searching further information confirmed that the location beacon had been identified and was safely on land.
The Swanage lifeboat and other assisting assets were freed from service and the lifeboat and volunteer crew returned to station.
Just two days later, on Thursday 7 May, the Swanage inshore lifeboat, Jack & Phyl, was launched to assist two people reported to be cut off by the tide near to Old Harry Rocks.
The Swanage lifeboat launched just as locals at Peveril Point were clapping for key workers. The volunteer lifeboat crew joined the applause and pan rattling as the lifeboat hit the water.
Volunteer lifeboat helmsman, Tom Greasty said ‘we searched the cliff line and located two people stranded by the tide and unable to get back to dry land. With the tide approaching high water the casualties were lucky to be recovered before being fully engulfed by the sea. We recovered the casualties and returned them to Studland.’
An ambulance was awaiting ashore to carry out health checks on the casualties and the lifeboat was released from service to return to station.
Notes to Editors
- Photograph of the Swanage all-weather Lifeboat on service and inshore lifeboat during launch. Credit, Rebecca Mack
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