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Lowestoft RNLI Lifeboat aids young injured trawlerman
The volunteer crew of Lowestoft RNLI Lifeboat were called from their beds just before 1am on Friday morning 6 November 2026 to go to the aid of a fisherman on a Belgium trawler 27 miles due East of the port, who had badly injured his hand.
Lowestoft lifeboat coxswain John Fox said” we rendezvoused with the 38 metre Beam Trawler which had managed to haul their fishing gear and was heading to meet us with the injured crewman on board,”
“With the wind blowing from the east, we slowed to 4-5 knots and came alongside the trawler and carefully transferred the young fisherman across to the lifeboat.”
“He told us that he was 17-years-old and had ‘degloved’ one of his fingers tearing away the skin and exposing raw tissue. His colleagues had made a good job of bandaging the finger, but he was still in pain.
So, our lifeboat crew administered casualty care and gave him some Entonox for pain relief while the lifeboat sped back to harbour.
On arrival at 3.15am and with no ambulance readily available, the Lowestoft Coastguard Rescue Team transported him to hospital for ongoing treatment.”
RNLI Media Contacts
For further information, please contact:
Michael Howes, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI North and East, [email protected]
Clare Hopps, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for North East and East England, 07824 518641, [email protected]
Richard Grange, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for North East and East England, 07483 112015, [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
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