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Mudeford RNLI assist stranded rib

Lifeboats News Release

On Sunday 1 December at 6.50pm the Mudeford RNLI volunteer crew were tasked to a 10m rib that had run aground at Blackberry Point in Christchurch Harbour.

RNLI/Des Stevens

The Mudeford Servant Atlantic 85 lifeboat and Mudeford RNLI crew off Avon Beach.

The Mudeford Servant Atlantic 85 lifeboat launched at 7.02pm and was on scene at 7.07pm. The sea conditions were moderately rough with a Force 5 south-westerly wind and rain.

The crew came alongside the rib which had both engines stuck in the mud near the sand-bar. The two casualties on the rib were taken on board the lifeboat. Both were cold but otherwise in good health. The crew then helped to free the casualty vessel and towed it to Christchurch Harbour Quay.

The lifeboat returned to station at 7.38pm.

Mudeford RNLI volunteer Launch Authority, Simon Challis said, ‘The sand-bar at Blackberry Point can often prove a hazard for vessels in the area. With deteriorating weather conditions, the two casualties made the right decision to alert the Coastguard and we were able to respond quickly and get them to safety.’

This was the last shout for the Mudeford Servant Atlantic 85 lifeboat which has launched 79 times this year and 85 times last year. Mudeford Lifeboat Station now has a new Atlantic 85, Henrietta H, which came on service on Wednesday, 4 December 2025.

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.

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