Tasking from exercise for Walmer crew
Walmer RNLI volunteers were tasked and diverted from exercise in Ramsgate Harbour yesterday 15 March
The tasking for the station’s B Class Atlantic lifeboat Hounslow Branch at 9.05am was to assist a crew member with a serious hand injury onboard an eighty-two metre cargo vessel at anchor in the Margate Roads.
On arrival seven minutes later and after discussion between crew member Luke Curry and HM Coastguard in Dover, two crew members were put aboard by climbing the pilot’s boarding ladder to assess the situation. The injury, although bandaged, was deemed serious enough to take the casualty on board the lifeboat for medical treatment at hospital.
Crew ensured the casualty was wearing a lifejacket and a line was secured to him to allow for a safe transfer down the ladder. The lifeboat then made its to Ramsgate Harbour where they were met by Margate Coastguard Rescue Team at Ramsgate lifeboat station and the casualty handed over for passage to hospital.
Hounslow Branch was recovered back at station at 10.45am.
In the post incident debrief helm Dave Mitchell praised the boat handling skills of fellow helm James Foster saying: ‘James did a great job bringing the lifeboat alongside the larger vessel and holding it under the boarding ladder enabling myself and fellow casualty carer Ben Winslade to climb safely onto the boat.'
Notes to editors
Walmer lifeboat station was established in 1856.
It currently operates two inshore lifeboats – a B Class Atlantic 85 Hounslow Branch and a smaller D Class Duggie Rodbard II.
Crews have received 28 Awards for Gallantry
To find out more about Walmer lifeboat station go to https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/walmer-lifeboat-station
RNLI media contacts
- Chris Winslade, Lifeboat Press Officer, Walmer Lifeboat Station on 01304 374475 or 07906 623037 [email protected]
- Julie Rainey, RNLI Regional Communications Lead on 07827 358256 [email protected]
- Jess Curtis, RNLI Regional Communications Manager (London/East/South East) on 07724 801305 [email protected]
- For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789 or [email protected]
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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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