Whitstable RNLI assists Angling Boat and Jet Ski

Lifeboat Operations Manager Mike Judge said “The lifeboat approached the craft and spoke to the 3 persons on board who confirmed that their outboard motor had failed and that they would be unable to make passage back to Queenborough, from where they had launched”

“To prevent the craft drifting out to sea, the lifeboat took the craft in tow and brought it into the inner ramp at 'Neptunes Arm', Herne Bay”

“There, it was met by the Herne Bay Coastguarrd Rescue Team and secured alongside, and the occupants landed so that arrangements could be made for its recovery by road. The lifeboat then continued with its training exercise.”

Weather conditions at the time were cloudy skies but excellent visibility with a force 3-4 south-westerly wind and choppy seas.

On Monday afternoon the lifeboat was launched again following a report of a broken down jet ski with a single occupant onboard 1-mile off Hampton, Herne Bay.

Whilst on route to the reported location the lifeboat crew located the casualty craft now a 1/2-mile from Hampton.

The jet ski was brought alongside the lifeboat and its occupant transferred following which the pair were landed ashore at the ramp at Hampton where the coastguard team were waiting.

Weather conditions at the time were cloudy skies but good visibility and 3-4 south south westerly winds.

There have now been 33-calls so far this year for the volunteer crews at Whitstable RNLI.

Notes to editors

• Whitstable RNLI Lifeboat Station was established in 1963 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and is one of 237 lifeboat stations around the shores of the UK and Ireland. The volunteer crews provide a maritime search and rescue service for the Kent coast. They cover the area between the Kingsferry Bridge on the Swale, in the west, around the south-eastern side of Sheppey and along the coast through Whitstable and Herne Bay to Reculver in the east and outwards into the Thames Estuary.

• The station is equipped with an Atlantic 85 lifeboat named Lewisco, purchased through a bequest of a Miss Lewis of London who passed away in 2006.

• She is what is known as a rigid inflatable inshore lifeboat, the boat’s rigid hull being topped by an inflatable sponson. She carries a crew of four people.

• RNLI media contacts

• Chris Davey, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, Whitstable Lifeboat Station.
  07741 012004/ [email protected]

• Julie Rainey - Regional Communications Lead : 07827 358256

• Hatti Mellor - Regional Communications Manager :07724 801305

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

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.