Southend-on-Sea RNLI lifeboat tasked to two pan pan calls in two days
Southend-on-Sea RNLI volunteers were tasked by Dover Coastguard at 7.15pm Saturday 7 June and 11.05pm Sunday 8 June to pan pan calls received from vessels in distress in the Thames estuary. Southend lifeboat volunteers launched the charity’s Atlantic 85, Julia & Angus Wright on both occasions.
Saturday 7 June Southend RNLI volunteers were paged at 7.15pm to a 7mtr yacht with two people onboard which had called pan pan after engine failure approximately half a mile south of Southend pier.
With heavy rain and a moderate southwest breeze, the volunteer RNLI crew made their way to the offshore station to launch the Atlantic 85 lifeboat.
The casualty vessel was at anchor very close to the busy shipping lanes and was a danger to navigation.
Both crew onboard the yacht were in good health, and a decision was made to tow the vessel to the nearest safe port, Queenborough Kent where Sheppey Coastguard rescue team were waiting. Southend RNLI lifeboat returned to station at 9.45pm.
Sunday 8 June the RNLI volunteers were paged at 11.05pm to an 8mtr work boat with four people onboard that had called pan pan due to engine failure. The casualty vessel was in imminent danger of going aground on the Chapman sands off Canvey Island.
In clear visibility and a gentle breeze the RNLI volunteers launched Julia & Angus Wright quickly locating the casualty vessel. The four people onboard, three adults and one child were in good health, but were potentially in a dangerous area where ship wash and fast tides are abundant.
Southend RNLI volunteer crew towed the vessel to the nearest safe mooring off Chalkwell and took the casualties to Two Tree Island where Canvey Coastguard rescue team were waiting. B-885 Julia & Angus Wright returned to station at 2am where the lifeboat was rehoused, refuelled and made ready for service.
Southend-on-Sea RNLI volunteer helm Dave Cartwright said: 'Both vessels were situated close to dangerous areas. The Thames estuary is very busy with large ships continuously using the narrow lanes and the ships make a fair size wake which can be very dangerous to a vessel aground next to the shipping lanes. A vessel drifting in the lanes is in imminent danger of collision. Once we had carried out a quick assessment of the crew and vessels, our only option was to tow the casualties to the nearest safe harbours.'
RNLI boating safety advice: Always wear a lifejacket, always check the weather and tides for the area, know your limits, and know your vessels limits. For more information follow the link: https://rnli.org/safety/choose-your-activity/yacht-sailing-and-motorboating#
Notes to editors
· Southend RNLI is one of the busiest coastal stations across the UK and Republic of Ireland.
· Southend RNLI cover over fifteen miles of shore from Shoeburyness to Canvey and beyond.
· For more information, please visit http://www.southendlifeboat.org/
RNLI media contacts
For more information please contact:
· Nigel Gilchrist. Lifeboat Press Officer at Southend-on-Sea RNLI [email protected] or 07765875300
· Hatti Mellor | RNLI Regional Communications Manager – South East, [email protected]
· For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789
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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 over 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and, in a normal year, 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.
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, X, 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.