Donate now

Poole lifeboat tasked to capsized sailing dinghy with two people in water

Lifeboats News Release

As the volunteer crew were preparing to launch this evening on Wednesday (21 Aug) a call came through from HM Coastguard at 5:20pm requesting a launch.

RNLI/Poole

Poole volunteers approaching the capsized dinghy
RNLI lifeguards at Sandbanks had requested support as they had sighted a capsized dinghy with two people in the water. One had become separated from the vessel and the strong spring tides meant they were drifting quickly.

RNLI lifeguards meantime launched their rescue water craft and saw the vessels mast had also snapped.
As the lifeboat arrived, they located two people in the shallows, now stood with their sailing dinghy and no longer in immediate danger.

The lifeboat stood by while the occupants walked their dinghy along the shallows to the beach they had launched from.

With the two people and dinghy safely recovered the lifeboat continued training and returned to station at 7pm.

This was the 78th launch for Poole volunteers this year.

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.

Categories