The inshore lifeboat launched again with a crew of three at 2.03pm on Sunday 17 May after being tasked by the UK Coastguard to assist in a multi-agency incident.
The lifeboat was stood down at 3.17pm and was back on station at 3.40pm and after cleaning down and refuelling was ready for service again at 4.20pm.
The crew of the inshore lifeboat were paged again at 2.13pm on Monday 18 May to reports of a Jet skier reported to be more than an hour overdue returning to the ramp at Shingle Bank, Minster. With the crew on station and preparing to launch they received a call to say the man was now back on shore, so the crew were stood down before launching.
Whilst the crew were still on station a further call came in at 3.02pm from the UK Coastguard requesting that the All Weather Lifeboat be launched to a 30 foot cabin cruiser reported to have six people on board and said to be sinking ,in the area of number 25 buoy, River Medway. The emergency call had been made by another vessel which was on the scene.
With crew on station from the previous call the ALB was launched immediately and located the casualty at 3.26pm and under tow by the other vessel but sitting very low in the water at the stern.
The lifeboat was secured alongside the casualty and the crew then deployed their onboard salvage pump in the crafts flooded engine bay. The vessel was towed, slowly, to Gillingham Marina where it was handed over to the marina workboat. Water was still being pumped from the vessel until it was lifted from the water in the marina boat hoist.
With the casualty craft safe and the salvage pump back onboard, the lifeboat was stood down at 4.54pm and back on station at 5.30pm.
Wind W force 2
The Sheerness inshore lifeboat launched to assist a craft with four people onboard reported to be in difficulty in the River Medway
The inshore lifeboat ‘Buster’ was in action again when the crew were tasked by the UK Coastguard at 7.20pm on Tuesday 19th May 2020 in response to a call from a 19’ vessel with 4 people onboard that had suffered mechanical issues in the Kingsnorth Jetty area of the River Medway.
Launching at 7.35pm with a crew of 3 onboard the ILB was on scene 15 minutes later. A towline was rigged and the vessel was towed to the Strand at Gillingham, where due to lack of water, it was secured on a mooring. The 2 adults and 2 children were then transported to the shore by the ILB in 2 short trips.
The ILB returned to Station at 9.05pm were it was refuelled and made ready for service.
Weather-Fair, Wind WNW F1/2. Sea state calm, visibility good.
All Covid-19 protocols were carried out in accordance with RNLI guidelines.
