Injured elderly man involved in river rescue
Rescue services, including Cowes RNLI lifeboat, were today (Sat) alerted to an incident in the River Medina in which an 81 year old man suffered a painful hip injury on an offshore pontoon.
The pontoon, just south of the floating bridge, is used as a fuel depot, and it appears the man slipped while transferring from a boat on to the pontoon.
Launching just after 5 pm, the lifeboat was joined at the scene by a Cowes Harbour launch and, later, by Bembridge coastguards - with an ambulance standing by on the Cowes shore.
Eventually the man, after being given pain-killers, was stretchered on to the harbour launch and landed at Shepards Marina where the ambulance took him on to St Mary’s Hospital. The lifeboat returned to station at 6.50 pm
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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