
Remembrance Sunday Service for Lyme Regis RNLI
Just minutes after the Last Post had sounded on Lyme Regis’ Remembrance Day parade the volunteer RNLI lifeboat crew launched to go to the aid of a capsized dinghy.
Having just finished marching in the town’s Remembrance Sunday parade, and whilst still dressed in their best RNLI uniforms, at 11.58 am the Lyme Regis volunteer lifeboat crew received an ‘Immediate Launch’ request from HM Coastguard, the highest priority alert. Their task was to rescue two dinghy sailors who had capsized off Lyme Regis town beach and who were unable to right their upturned boat.
The lifeboat crew launched at 12.07pm and were quickly on scene 500m to the east of Lyme Regis harbour entrance. Here they rescued one of the two dinghy sailors from the water in the vicinity of the capsized boat. The crew then collected the second casualty from Lyme Regis Sailing Club’s safety boat which had rescued her a short time earlier. With both sailors safely on board the lifeboat the volunteer crew took them into harbour and into the care of Fire and Rescue Co-Responders. A Coastguard Rescue Team had also been tasked to the incident.
Volunteer Helm Tom Crabbe said, ‘There was a big swell running this morning, particularly over Broad Ledge to the east of the main beach area. Once their dinghy had capsized the swell made it very difficult for the two sailors to right their boat. Once we got them safely ashore we tried to recover the dinghy but this proved impossible in the conditions.’
This was the 51st service call Lyme Regis RNLI has responded to this year.
Ends
Notes to editors
Phot 1. Lyme Regis RNLI inshore lifeboat Spirit of Loch Fyne
Contact Details Nick Marks, Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer Lyme Regis RNLI. Telephone 07568 187582
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.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
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.