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Wells RNLI inshore lifeboat launches to a casualty in difficulty in the water

Lifeboats News Release

Wells inshore lifeboat was paged for an immediate launch at 7:37pm on Saturday 20 May to render assistance to a casualty who had accidentally fallen into the water adjacent to the town quay at Wells harbour.

RNLB Peter Wilcox launches to casualty in difficulty Wells quayside

RNLI/Ray West

Saturday 20 May 2023 rescue

The inshore lifeboat with three volunteer crew launched outside the boathouse on the top of the tide at 7:47pm and proceeded directly to Wells quay down the harbour channel.

Wells inshore lifeboat arrived on scene at 7:53pm and quickly located the casualty in the water, who was close to the quay wall alongside an adjacent fishing boat and supported by two life rings which had been thrown from the quayside.

The casualty however was not able to get out of the water unaided and a crew member from the inshore lifeboat entered the water to assist and recover the person to the safety of the inshore lifeboat.

The crew accessed the casualty who was very tired and cold, it was decided that the best course of action was take the casualty to the harbour pontoons and hand over into the care of the ambulance and local Coastguard teams on scene.

Once the crew had made sure their assistance was no longer required and the casualty was being attended by the ambulance crew, the inshore lifeboat left the scene at 8:17pm and returned to the boathouse and was back ashore at 8:30pm.

The inshore lifeboat was then rehoused / sanitised and refuelled and ready again for service at 8.45pm.

Notes to editors

On Saturday 3 June 2023 Wells new Shannon-class lifeboat RNLB 13-46 Duke of Edinburgh will be officially named and, together with its SLARS launch and recovery rig will be dedicated to the service of saving lives at sea.

Events at the quayside will start at 4pm with help from the Blakeney Old Wild Rovers. The lifeboat will arrive at approximately 5pm and crew and guests will disembark and proceed to the stage where an address will be given by the RNLI's Chief Executive, Mark Dowie.

RNLI media contacts

For more information please telephone Jessica Curtis , RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07860200790 or [email protected] or Clare Hopps, Regional Media Officer on 07824518641 or [email protected] or contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.




Wells inshore lifeboat launches with three volunteer crew to casualty in difficulty in Wells quay

RNLI/Ray West

Inshore lifeboat Peter Wilcox launches

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

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.

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