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Lifeboats evacuate casualty from yacht in distress

Lifeboats News Release

Both Swanage lifeboats were involved in a tricky evacuation from a yacht in near-gale conditions south of Anvil Point on Sunday 4 December 2022.

Swanage all-weather lifeboat preparing to launch

RNLI/Becky Mack

Swanage all-weather lifeboat preparing to launch
A Mayday distress call alerted HM Coastguard to the yacht with two people on board, one of whom was reported as ill and incapacitated. The all-weather lifeboat launched and was given a direction towards the yacht by the Swanage National Coastwatch Institution (NCI).

The lifeboat was soon on scene and decided to place a crew member on board to assess the situation. A slow speed transfer was carried out in the rough conditions. The crew member found the casualty to be semi-conscious, further equipment was passed to the yacht and a decision quickly made to pass another crew member over to set up a tow and help with the casualty care.

With the yacht under tow steadily making way northwards, options were considered to safely evacuate the casualty given the sea conditions. It was decided to launch the Swanage inshore lifeboat (ILB) to assist with evacuating the casualty and a slow speed transfer in the more sheltered Swanage Bay was carried out to take the casualty from the yacht whilst it was under tow. The casualty was then quickly taken by the ILB to the slipway where the ILB was recovered with the casualty onboard.

The all-weather lifeboat then continued the tow towards Poole. Sometime later the yacht made the entrance to Poole Quay yacht haven, where coastguard volunteers were waiting to help secure the vessel. The lifeboat was then released to return to Swanage and was back in the boathouse ready for further service shortly after 3.00pm, some four hours after launch.

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ALB Crew: (Coxn) Gavin Steeden, Robert Aggas, Steve Williams, Roydon Woodford, Phil Palmer, Sam Aggas
ILB Crew: (Helm) Tom Greasty, Becky Mack, Ant Hole
Shore Crew: (Winchman) Paul Bedford, (Head Launcher) Gary Buglass, Ben Clarke, Emily Condie, Jamie Trumper

RNLI media contacts

For more information please telephone Becky Mack, Swanage RNLI Volunteer Press Officer on 07812 558487 or at [email protected]

Key facts about the RNLI

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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For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.

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