Busy weekend for Margate RNLI as leisure activity picks up
An increase in activity as Covid-19 restrictions are lifted has been reflected in a busy bank holiday Monday for Margate’s volunteer lifeboat crew.
It has been a quiet few weeks during the recent lockdown for Margate’s RNLI lifeboat crew but a combination of the easing of restrictions, favourable weather conditions and a bank holiday has meant a return to business as usual with two call-outs for the town’s inshore lifeboat.
Around 4pm yesterday (Monday 25 May) UK Coastguard received a report of two people in a dinghy drifting seaward with the tide off Epple Bay, Birchington. The inshore lifeboat was tasked along with Margate’s coastguard rescue team, the latter were quickly on scene and able to establish the dinghy had returned to shore safely with assistance from a jet-ski from Beresford Water Ski Club. The lifeboat was recalled and returned to station.
A few hours later, around 7pm UK Coastguard received a further call from Kent Police reporting a swimmer appearing to be in difficulties off Walpole Bay, Cliftonville, a second person had also entered the water to assist. The inshore lifeboat along with the coastguard rescue team and police officers were tasked and once on scene located the original casualty in shallow water attempting with some difficulty to make his way back to shore. Members of the lifeboat crew and coastguard officers assisted the casualty back to shore and he was handed into the care of South East Coast Ambulance Service.
Peter Barker, Deputy Launching Authority, Margate RNLI said: “Following the recent restrictions and throughout the period of lockdown we have implemented measures to minimise the risk to our volunteer lifeboat crew while maintaining a full service capability with both our inshore and all-weather lifeboats. We urge people to follow safety advice which is available at https://bit.ly/Beach_Safe_RNLI
ENDS
RNLI Media contacts
· Peter Barker, RNLI Margate Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer 07974 064304 [email protected]
· Paul Dunt, Regional Media Officer (SouthEast), 0207 6207416, 07786 668825 [email protected]
· For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789
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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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