
Bank holiday weekend and five calls for Margate lifeboat volunteers
Margate RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crew are reflecting on a busy bank holiday weekend responding to five diverse calls for their services.
The busy weekend involved taskings for both the B class and D class lifeboats and started late of Saturday evening when, together with Ramsgate RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat they attended a yacht aground on a sandbank 15 miles off Margate. The call involved two separate launches for the Margate crew over an 11 hour period.
On Sunday evening the smaller D class lifeboat assisted shoreside agencies following concern for the safety of a person on Margate harbour arm which was resolved satisfactorily
.Monday brought three further calls, firstly where a disabled cabin cruiser was towed to Ramsgate harbour by the B class lifeboat. Later in the day, assistance was provided on two separate callouts to jet-skis in difficulties off Botany Bay, both incidents also involving support from RNLI lifeguards in the area. Margate Coastguard Rescue Team, as always provided shoreside support as the lifeboat crews carried out their work.
Between their essential lifesaving duties the crew found time for their annual Family Day and barbecue on Saturday afternoon, photo attached.
Derek Amas, Lifeboat Operations Manager, RNLI Margate said: “Our team is always on alert during bank holiday weekends, especially where the weather is reasonable enough to tempt people to get out and about. This weekend was particularly busy and we thank not only the volunteer crews but their families whom will also have had their weekend disrupted.”
Notes to editors
· Margate lifeboat station has been operating since 1860. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/margate-lifeboat-station
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For more information please contact:
· Peter Barker, RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07974 064304 or [email protected]
· Paul Dunt, Regional Media Officer (South East) on 0207 6207416, 07786 668825 or [email protected]
· RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.
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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 146,000 lives.
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