Dungeness RNLI volunteers receive commendation for service call in 2019

At 3.17am on 24 September 2019, six Dungeness RNLI crew along with a UK Coastguard Search and Rescue Helicopter from Lydd, were tasked to a Mayday call from a sailing vessel with a man overboard in gale force winds.

During this rescue, the UK Coastguard Helicopter spotted the casualty who was wearing a lifejacket with strobe lights in the water and lifted them to the safety of the helicopter and then onto hospital for treatment.

The crew of the Dungeness Shannon-class lifeboat were also on scene during the search and once the man had been retrieved from the water, they then assisted a second man that had remained aboard the casualty vessel. He was in difficulty and the vessel was at risk of being blown ashore.

After assessment, the crew established that the vessel’s rescue line was stuck in the propeller. Two crew boarded the yacht and it was towed to Dover in tricky conditions.

The crew receiving the letters were Coxswain Stuart Adams, Coxswain Mechanic Trevor Bunney, Jason Adams, Jonathon Morgan, Craig Edwards and Simon Collins.

Roger Gillett, Lifeboat Operations Manager for Dungeness RNLI Lifeboat, says: ‘It was a privilege to award our volunteers with these special letters of thanks today. They attend service calls 24/7, 365 days a year and it has a been an honour to show them the gratitude they deserve.’

Notes to editors

· Dungeness lifeboat station has been operating since 1826. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to www.dungenesslifeboat.org.uk

· Dungeness’ Shannon-class lifeboat was the first Shannon lifeboat in the fleet and came to station in 2014.

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