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Poole lifeboat assist yacht taking on water and an emergency beacon activation

Lifeboats News Release

Poole Lifeboat was requested to launch just after 4.30pm by UK Coastguard (Sunday July 14) to a report of a 32ft yacht with five people on-board, taking on water at the Harbour entrance.

Atlantic in action

RNLI/Anne-Marie Clark

Poole Lifeboat responding to a Shout

The station's B-Class lifeboat, Sgt. Bob Martin, was soon on scene and found the yacht being escorted by Vixen, the Poole Harbour Commissioners' Patrol Vessel.

Conditions in the harbour were sunny, with a slight south westerly breeze.

Two lifeboat crew were transferred onto the yacht to check everyone was okay and to check the ingress, a decision was made for the lifeboat to escort the vessel back to its berth at Poole Yacht Club, however, whilst on route UK Coastguard re-tasked the lifeboat to a report of an emergency beacon activation (AIS SART).

The two crew were transferred back from the yacht, who was by now close to their berth and happy to continue.

The emergency beacon position (man overboard marker) was pinging outside the harbour, the lifeboat swiftly headed out, but as they were underway another ping came through which had relocated the emergency beacon to another position, where the lifeboat had just come from. This was a bit confusing, but then the lifeboat crew realised that the beacon could have been on a passing vessel.

The lifeboat flagged the rib that they had just passed down and discovered that a lifejacket had inflated whilst stowed in a locker and this is what had raised the ‘man overboard ‘alarm, the lifeboat crew turned the beacon off and returned the lifejacket back to the rib.

As all was well, the lifeboat headed back to Poole Yacht Club to check that the yacht that they had initially launched to was safely back, which it was.

The lifeboat returned to station, after refuelling, it was ready for service by 6.10pm.

This was the 50th and 51st call out for the volunteers at Poole lifeboat station 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.

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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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