
First shout of the year for Hunstanton RNLI to grounded yacht
A Norfolk lifeboat was launched on 2 February after a sailing vessel ran aground.
Lifeboat Spirit of West Norfolk was launched at around 6pm and made its way south towards King's Lynn.
After meeting up with the vessel and confirming all was well with the two people on board, the lifeboat and its four-strong crew waited for the incoming tide to refloat her.
They then accompanied her into the mouth of the River Ouse, following upstream to pontoon moorings off Lynn's South Quay.
The lifeboat then gave way to ships entering and leaving the fast-flowing tidal river, before returning to station.
She was then washed down, refuelled and made ready for her next service by the shore crew after being recovered by the station's tractor just before 9pm.
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
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