Sheerness RNLI Lifeboat launched to rescue three men marooned on RedSands Tower
The Sheerness RNLI lifeboat was launched to rescue three young men from Redsands Tower after they had become stranded.
The volunteer crew of the Sheerness all-weather lifeboat ‘The George and Ivy Swanson’ were tasked by the UK Coastguard at 8.33am on Sunday 24 January to reports of three people being stranded on the Red Sands Tower in the Thames Estuary
Launching at 8.57am with a crew of six the ALB arrived on the scene at 9.28am and soon located the three young men who were then removed from the tower and taken onboard the lifeboat which then returned to the Lifeboat mooring in Sheerness docks.
The lifeboat arrived back on station at 10.05am where they were met by members of the Sheppey Coastguard Rescue Team and Kent Police.
The three young men said that they had become stranded on the Redsands tower after their two RHIB craft had gone adrift on the tide.
Weather fair,Winds ESE 6-9knots with calm seas and good visibility.
Also known as Maunsell army forts, after Guy Maunsell who designed them for use as defence against air raids in the second world war,the Redsands Towers are large installations comprising seven inter-connected steel platforms,five of which carried guns arranged in a semi-circle around a control centre and accommodation, whilst the seventh which was the searchlight tower was set further out than the gun towers.
The Redsands are situated approximately four miles off Whitstable in the Thames Estuary and since their use during the war they have had a number of ‘tenants’ including a couple of pirate radio stations.
RNLI Media contacts:
Vic Booth RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer (Sheerness) 07926904453 / 01795 880544 / [email protected]
Paul Dunt, Regional Media Officer (South East), 0207 6207426, 07785 296252 [email protected]
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For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789
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