Swanage Lifeboat attends medical emergency

The Sunday morning exercise was coming to an end when the ALB was tasked to attend the Mayday call. It took the lifeboat just 13 minutes to be at the scene of the emergency. One diver was quickly transferred to the aft deck of the ALB so that first aid could be administered. Within ten minutes the casualty was winched up by Rescue 375 (HM Coastguard helicopter) and on their way to hospital.

The ALB returned to the dive boat and took another casualty on board. That casualty also received first aid whilst the lifeboat made its way to Poole Quay Yacht Haven, escorting the dive boat and its remaining occupants. In Poole the second casualty was handed over to SW Ambulance Service and they, too, were then taken by helicopter for further treatment.

At 1:06pm the lifeboat was released from service and began its return journey to Swanage.

ALB Crew: (Coxn) Gavin Steeden, Neil Brooks, Nigel Bower, Gary Buglass, Scott Turner, Adam O'Neill
Shore Crew: (Head Launcher) Neil Collings, (Winch) Jeremy Stein, Alice Haw, Danielle Dix

RNLI Media Contacts

For further information, please contact:

Becky Mack, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI South East, [email protected]

Julie Rainey, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for London and South East England, 07827 358256, [email protected]

RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [email protected]

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI is the charity that 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 146,700 lives.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, TikTok 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.