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Another mud rescue for Lymington Lifeboat

Lifeboats News Release

At 6.27pm on Monday 8 April, just as their weekly training session was about to begin, the Lymington lifeboat crew were tasked to assist in the extraction of a casualty from the foreshore to the east of Fort Albert on the Isle of Wight.

RNLI and HM Coastguard volunteers carry man from mud on stretcher

RNLI/Joanna Styles

RNLI and HM Coastguard volunteers rescue man from mud

Helmed by Dave Hall, inshore lifeboat the David Bradley arrived on scene 15 minutes after the pagers had sounded. Crewmen Alex Sheppard and Piers Horobin entered the water and made their way to the beach, where they met members of HM Coastguard and the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue service attending to the casualty.

During an afternoon walk along the coast, the man had become trapped in thick mud and was unable to free himself. The alarm was raised and attending emergency services had been able to pull him from the mud and bring him down the islands notorious slippery blue clay on a stretcher. Now on the waters edge, it was agreed that the best way to get the casualty to safety was by sea.

The man was carefully stretchered out through the shallows to the lifeboat and made comfortable for the short journey into Yarmouth and to the waiting ambulance.

‘There have been a spate of mud rescues in recent months and our advice is to always be very careful when walking along the coastline. These emergencies prompt a large multi-agency response and while we are here to help anyone in danger, there are precautions the public can take to stay safe and minimise the risk of getting caught out. These include following signage, being aware of tide times, having a mobile phone and sticking to footpaths. If you do become trapped, stay calm, avoid movement, spread your weight, call 999 and discourage others from attempting to rescue you.’ Lifeboat Operations Manager Alastair Mackay said.

Crew: Dave Hall (Helm), Alex Sheppard, Ben Bradley-Watson, Piers Horobin.

RNLI Contact details:

Jo Styles, Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer, Lymington Lifeboat Station (07725) 640871 [email protected]

Hatti Mellor, Regional Communications Manager - SE & London (07724) 801305 [email protected]

For enquiries outside normal business hours contact the RNLI duty press officer on (01202) 336789

RNLI online: For more information on the RNLI please visit http://www.rnli.org/. News releases and other media resources, including RSS feeds, downloadable photos and video, are available at the RNLI News Centre.

The casualty carefully being carried out to the lifeboat on a stretcher

RNLI/Joanna Styles

The casualty was carefully carried out to the lifeboat
The casualty being lifted onto Lymington lifeboat

RNLI/Joanna Styles

The casualty being lifted onto Lymington lifeboat

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.