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Busy 48-hours for Poole RNLI volunteers at start of Easter break

Lifeboats News Release

Poole volunteers have dealt with a flurry of incidents including a medical evacuation, a grounded vessel, capsized dinghy, a jetski in difficulty and a person thought to be in trouble.

RNLI/Poole

Poole volunteers with the 42ft grounded vessel

Both boats were tasked by UK Coastguard just after 12.30pm to two different incidents (Thursday April 6) however, both in the vicinity of Baiter.

The Atlantic was swiftly away, tasked to a sailing dinghy in difficulty with two people reported to be in the water, clinging onto the hull.

The D class was tasked to a jet ski who had asked for help by phoning the Coastguard on his mobile, requesting assistance, as he was drifting towards the rocks.

Conditions were good, with a north easterly breeze.

When the Atlantic arrived on scene, the crew found that the safety boat from Parkstone Yacht club had responded, they had spotted the casualties and had pulled the two people out of the water, both people were safe in the safety rib and their sailing dinghy was undertow. The lifeboat crew went alongside to check that the people were okay, which they were, albeit a little cold and wet and grateful to be in the safety rib, they were happy to continue to Baiter slipway with the Parkstone safety boat.

The Atlantic crew then turned their attention to look for the jet skier, taking into account the conditions and wind direction, they began scanning the break water down into Parkstone Bay Marina. The D class was also on scene and had spotted a black jet ski (that matched the description) unattended, on the floating dock in Parkstone Yacht Club after further investigation with other people ashore, it appeared that the jet skier that had broken down, had managed to get ashore but had not updated the Coastguard, who had tried to contact him, the lifeboat volunteers could not locate the jet skier, but people ashore had identified him as the casualty that the lifeboat had been tasked to assist.

The lifeboat crew were stood down and returned to station, after refuelling and washing down the lifeboats were ready for service by 4pm

Volunteer Helm Alex Evans said.

‘It was good that the jet skier was safe ashore, however, please could we remind people, that if you do call the Coastguard requesting help, but manage to sort yourself out and no longer require assistance, call the Coastguards back to let them know you're okay and safe’.

Good Friday, brought sunshine and back-to-back shouts

The pagers rang out just after noon (Friday April 7) to a medical evacuation of an elderly lady that had fallen off a boardwalk on Brownsea Island.

The lifeboat made good speed and went alongside the main pier, two crew went ashore, located the casualty, and administered casualty care. The casualty was then transferred onto a wheelchair and the lifeboat crew with Brownsea Island staff, conveyed the lady to a private pier where the ‘Costello’, (a private ferry) was standing by. The two-crew travelled with the casualty making her comfortable, providing support and pain relief across the harbour to Poole Quay Boat Haven and the lifeboat followed on.

On arrival the casualty was then transferred into the marina office, then handed over to the care of the ambulance and taken to hospital.

Poole Coastguard Rescue Team were also in attendance to help.

The volunteers returned to station, after refuelling and a wash down, the lifeboat was ready for service by 2.30pm.

All at the lifeboat station wish the casualty a speedy recovery

Then just after 5.30pm the D class was tasked to conduct a welfare check and assist a broken down 16ft Fletcher speedboat with one person on-board that was at the end of the Training Bank just outside the harbour. The Training Bank is a 1.5 km long rock groyne located between Knoll Beach and Shell Bay. The lifeboat volunteers were soon on scene, checked that the person was okay and took the vessel undertow back to Rockley Point. As all was well, the D class returned to station and was ready for service by 7.45pm.

The Atlantic launched again, just after 7pm to a 42 ft motor cruiser that had issued a May Day.

The vessel with 5 people and one baby on-board was drifting towards Bournemouth Pier and the beach, by the time the lifeboat volunteers arrived on scene the vessel had landed on the beach, some of the adults with the baby had waded ashore to safety, leaving two adults on board the stricken vessel.

Southbourne Coastguard were also on scene.

The lifeboat crew checked everyone was okay and attached a line as the troubled vessel was bobbing and the tide was coming in. The lifeboat pulled the vessel around, at that point ‘Sea start’ arrived on scene, Sea start is a marine breakdown service. They soon got to work on board the vessel and managed to get the engine restarted as the lifeboat stood by. As the vessel was in an acceptable state, the May Day was cancelled, the lifeboat cast off the tow and returned to station.

As the lifeboat arrived at the station, the Coastguard re-tasked the crew to a report of a person in the water, as cries for help had been heard along the quay, the lifeboat conducted a search, however nothing was heard, and nothing untoward was found. The Coastguard stood the lifeboat crew down with thanks, as further information had come through that the person was safe.

After refuelling, the lifeboat was made ready by 9pm.

A long, warm, full-on day for the volunteers and the multiple shore crew that were on hand all day, helping and supporting, finishing off with a late fuel run at 9.30pm, a mammoth team effort, well done guys and girls for keeping the boats and the crew fuelled, ready to go.

Poole volunteers have launched 21 times this year.


RNLI/Poole

A volunteer onboard the grounded vessel ready to take a tow

Don Williams

Poole Lifeboat heading to one of the calls

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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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

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