The beam trawler had broken down earlier and had been undertow by the Swanage crew for some time, Poole lifeboat was requested to assist in bringing the stricken vessel alongside Poole Quay, where it could be safely accessed to be repaired. The lifeboat rendezvoused with Swanage all-weather lifeboat at the entrance of the harbour and shadowed them down, bringing the vessel safely into port and alongside the quay.
The lifeboat returned to station, washed down and refuelled at 12.30am, the crew were just about to head back home to their beds, when a request came through from UK Coastguard to launch to a missing person thought to be in the Lake Pier to Rockley area of the harbour, both lifeboats were requested to launch and Swanage lifeboat who had been heading home, was re-tasked to join the search.
The lifeboats saturated the area, and conducted co-ordinated searches from the Rockley area, Lake Pier and tracking back to Hamworthy Park.
Conditions were calm, not much tide and visibility was good, but it was a very dark. Coastguard search and rescue teams were combing the shoreline.
As nothing untoward was found, the lifeboats were stood down and returned to station.
After a long night the lifeboats were made ready for service by 3.30am, a long night for all concerned.
This was the 131st call out by the Poole lifeboat volunteers so far this year.
RNLI/Poole
Swanage Lifeboat coming alongside the fishing vessel
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.
