
Gravesend RNLI divert from exercise to broken down hovercraft
At 2:57pm on August 9 Gravesend’s lifeboat 'Olive Laura Deare II' launched to assist a hovercraft that had lost power and was at risk of making contact with a busy commercial jetty in Dagenham.
The lifeboat was crewed by three volunteers and RNLI Thames Commander Liam Sidders.
Liam said, ‘we were conducting an exercise on the River Thames at Halfway Reach and spotted two hovercrafts on our transit into east London, we slowed the lifeboat and monitored as we noticed one to be having trouble with propulsion and then the pilot waved us down for urgent assistance’.
‘They were very lucky we happened to be passing at the time we did, as the craft had lost all power, starting to take on water and was very close to being pushed under the jetty by the tide, this could have ended very differently if my crew didn’t act swiftly and effortlessly to conduct the rescue’.
To prevent further danger on the busy tidal Thames, for safety reasons Gravesend RNLI then took the hovercraft under tow to Erith Yacht Club, where RNLI volunteer Ashley Bard was put ashore to help with the safe recovery of the hovercraft and perform a verbal welfare check on the pilot.
Gravesend RNLI were then stood down by HM Coastguard at 3:39pm and continued on exercise.
RNLI Media Contacts
For further information, please contact:
Ashley Bard, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for Gravesend RNLI email [email protected]
Paul Dunt, Regional Media Officer (London and South East), on 07785 296 252 or email [email protected]
Julie Rainey, Regional Media Manager (South East), on 07827 358 256 or email [email protected]
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