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Fleetwood RNLI retrieve fishermen from shipping lane

Lifeboats News Release

The charity's crew recovered a fishing boat left adrift by mechanical failure on Sunday evening (11 August).

D Class Inshore Lifeboat Harbet with a small white fishing boat under tow behind her. The sands of Morecambe Bay can be seen behind the boats.

RNLI/Robert Baines

Fleetwood RNLI's Inshore Lifeboat D-853 Harbet bringing the casualty back towards Knott End slipway
The volunteer crew were paged just after 6:00pm and the D Class Inshore Lifeboat Harbet launched shortly thereafter in calm, sunny conditions with a light wind. The casualty vessel was located on the edge of the Fleetwood channel near Lune Deep and, having established that it was without power and liable to become a hazard to other shipping as it drifted on the ebbing tide, the Helm decided to take it under tow.

The 19-foot casualty vessel was returned to the slipway at Knott End, where it and its crew were delivered to HM Coastguard for recovery and assessment while the lifeboat returned to station.

Tony Cowell, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Fleetwood, said, 'The currents could have easily carried this boat into a position where it would have been a hazard to other water users, but despite her small size Harbet was able to bring the casualty in to safety. It reminds us all of the value of good maintenance and a thorough check-over before putting to sea.'

Notes to editors

· Fleetwood’s RNLI Inshore Lifeboat is named HARBET and is a D-Class boat.

· Fleetwood lifeboat station has been operating since 1859. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: http://fleetwoodlifeboat.org.uk

RNLI media contacts

For more information please contact David Devereux, Fleetwood RNLI Press Officer, on 07591 675733 / [email protected] Danielle Rush, RNLI Regional Communications Lead, West, on 07786 668829/ [email protected] or Claire Fitzpatrick-Smith, Regional Communications Manager on 07977 728315 / [email protected]



RNLI D Class lifeboat D-853 Harbet, launching on service. She faces the camera as she reverses out of the station's mooring pen,

RNLI/Robert Baines

Fleetwood RNLI's Inshore Lifeboat D-853 Harbet launching to attend the casualty

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.

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