RNLI Wells assist 45ft motor cruiser with seasick crew in difficulties
RNLI Wells all-weather lifeboat was tasked by HM Coastguard at 3.36pm on 25 May to assist a motor cruiser as it sailed from Lowestoft to Hull. They were off the shore of Titchwell when the weather conditions had caused the crew to get into difficulties on the challenging sea.
The motor cruiser was making no headway and two of the four crew on board were suffering badly from seasickness.
The lifeboat volunteers launched outside the boathouse at 3.49pm and proceeded out of the harbour and headed towards the motor cruiser.
The all-weather lifeboat sighted the cruiser 4.16pm and was alongside at 4.22pm. Two of the volunteer lifeboat crew were placed on board the cruiser to assess the situation.
As the cruiser seemed to be operating well under power and the steering was satisfactory, it was decided that the best course of action was for the lifeboat crew to use their experience and seamanship to navigate the vessel to the safety of Wells Harbour and lifeboat station where the cruiser crew could be attended to.
The Cruiser set course for Wells at 4.28pm, escorted by the lifeboat. All went well on passage, with the cruiser safely moored in at Wells outer harbour at 4.46pm.
On reaching the shore, the casualties had recovered and required no further medical attention as their seasickness had dissipated once they had reached sheltered waters.
The lifeboat then returned to the station and was ashore at 4.56pm. It was sanitised, rehoused and refuelled at 6.30pm, ready for service.
Lifeboat Operations Manager, Chris Hardy, said ‘This was no doubt a challenging experience for the crew of the motor cruiser, but this rescue highlights the importance of ensuring and vessels taken along the coast are seaworthy. They should have reliable forms of communication and equipment on board. All trips should have a passage plan and that friends or family on the shore are aware of the route being taken. All that said, I am happy that there was a good outcome today’.
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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 142,700 lives.
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