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Busy Period at Whitstable RNLI
It has been a busy period at Whitstable RNLI with several calls over the last week in addition to training sessions and afloat exercises.
On Saturday 27th June the station’s B-Class lifeboat Lewisco was launched at 8.30pm following a report of several persons possibly in difficulty off a shingle spit known as ‘The Street’ at Tankerton.
The lifeboat arrived at the scene and the crew located around 12-persons waist deep or less in the water and a number of paddle boarders but all were making their way ashore through the shallow water. The lifeboat crew kept all under observation whilst awaiting the arrival of both the coastguard rescue team and police.
Once it was confirmed that all were safely ashore the lifeboat was ‘stood down’ by Dover Coastguard.
The lifeboat was subsequently diverted to a further ‘tasking’ when Dover Coastguard confirmed a report of a broken down and drifting jet ski in the vicinity of Hampton Pier, Herne Bay.
The lifeboat arrived at the scene and located the craft and its male occupant just off the end of Hampton Pier.
He confirmed he had requested help from the coastguard and accepted assistance from the lifeboat crew in returning him to the shore and his waiting family.
In other calls over the previous week, on Saturday 20th the lifeboat was launched following a report of a person who had entered the water from the Neptune Arm, Herne Bay. The lifeboat was ‘stood down’ when it was confirmed the person had made it back on shore.
On Sunday Lewisco was launched at 3.53pm to investigate a medical alert from an unknown vessel in the vicinity of the Shivering Sand Towers, the former wartime fort in the Thames Estuary.
The lifeboat located two angling boats in the area and the coastguard helicopter advised the lifeboat crew that they had been in communication with the craft and all onboard had reported they were fine.
However Dover Coastguard requested the lifeboat remain in the area whilst they made further investigations and the later received a further medical alert and requested the lifeboat proceed to the original position.
The lifeboat crew spoke to the occupants of the angling boats and it transpired that one of those onboard had device that had been sending false reports and it had now been switched off. The lifeboat was then released from the incident to return to station having spent around 4-hours at sea.
On Thursday 25th the crews were requested to come to immediate readinesses at 12.45am following a report of an incident at Seasalter of a person shouting on the foreshore. However following further reports from the police, coastguard team and coastguard helicopter the lifeboat was ‘stood down’ without launching.
There have now been 25-calls for the volunteers at Whitstable RNLI so far this year.
RNLI Media Contacts
For further information, please contact:
Chris Davey, 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.
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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.