Gravesend RNLI tasked to find person clinging onto capsized sailing dinghy
At 6:31pm Sunday 4 June, HM Coastguard tasked Gravesend RNLI to reports of a person in the water.
Thames Commander Connor Edwards said, ‘Our volunteer crew arrived on scene at Greenhithe to find a person in the water clinging onto their small sailing dingy which was attached to a mooring buoy’.
Connor added, ‘When we arrived on scene, we assessed the situation and assisted the casualty out of the water and onto the versa dock nearby, we did this to ensure the casualty was clear and safe and performed a welfare check, we then righted their dinghy as there was a risk of it becoming a hazard to navigation or run aground and become dangerous to recover’.
The dinghy was damaged and taking onboard water.
‘The dinghy was difficult to recover due to all the lines in the water and strong tide, once we righted the vessel we towed it alongside to Greenhithe cause way’.
‘The casualty was deemed fine but cold following the welfare check and it’s thanks to the buoyancy aid worn that there wasn’t any more serious harm done’.
Research has proven that wearing a lifejacket can increase chances of survival by up to four times if you’re immersed in cold water. Whatever your activity, wearing a well-fitted, well-maintained and suitable lifejacket or buoyancy aid could save your life.
Gravesend RNLI’s Atlantic 85 B-827 Olive Laura Deare II lifeboat was then stood down, fuelled and made ready for service by 7:42pm.
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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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