Inflatable dingy escorted to safety by Scarborough RNLI’s inshore lifeboat

At around 1:45 pm on Sunday 24 July, a volunteer crew of three aboard the D-Class inshore lifeboat, set out to North Bay to reports of an inflatable pleasure dingy getting swept out to sea.

Despite the small pleasure craft being equipped with an electric outboard, the power of the engine was insufficient to battle against the wind.

The lifeboat crew reached the dingy swiftly as it drifted over towards the Sea Life Centre with two adults and a teenager onboard. By this time, the wind had died down enough to allow the lifeboat to escort the dingy to shore slowly under its own power where the RNLI Lifeguards and HM Coastguard offered safety advice.

‘Always check the tides and weather before you head to sea.’, said inshore lifeboat helm, Rob Gaunt, ‘It’s also important to remember that inflatables, whilst they may look fun, are not suitable for the beach. They can get caught up in the wind and tides very easily and you can soon find yourself somewhere you had no intention of being and in need of assistance.’

For more information on how to be safe at the beach this year, follow rnli.org/safety/beach-safety

If you see anyone injured or in distress on the coast, dial 999 and ask for the coastguard.

The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea.

Notes to editors

· Scarborough lifeboat station has been operating since 1801. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/scarborough-lifeboat-station

· ILB Helm Rob Gaunt is available for interview

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For more information please telephone Erik Woolcott, RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07866 848314 or [email protected] or Clare Hopps, Regional Media Officer on 07824 518641 or [email protected] or contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.

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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