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Swanage all-weather lifeboat launches to unattended dinghy

Lifeboats News Release

An unattended dinghy was found to the West of St Albans Head and the UK Coastguard requested that the Swanage RNLI volunteers locate the dinghy and assess whether someone was likely to be missing from it.

Aerial image of Swanage all-weather lifeboat

Nick Leach

Swanage ALB at sea
The lifeboat launched and was on scene just under 20 minutes later.

The dinghy had been recovered by the fishing vessel that had initially reported it. The lifeboat met up with the fishing boat and took the dinghy on board. The dinghy didn't appear to have been in use but whilst the UK Coastguard were carrying out further investigations the lifeboat was requested to start carrying out an expanding square search.

Five minutes in to the search the UK Coastguard had been able to get in contact with the owner of the dinghy who was then able to confirm that they were safe and well.

With this new information the lifeboat was stood down to return to station.

ALB Crew: (Coxn) Dave Turnbull, John Deas, Matthew Steeden, Roydon Woodford, Sam Aggas, Scott Turner
Shore Crew: (Head Launcher) Nigel Bower, (Winchman) Julian Vass, Jeremy Stein, Neil Collings

For more information please contact:
Becky Mack, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, [email protected]
Charmaine Tideswell, Volunteer Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer, [email protected]
Regional Media Manager Hatti Mellor, [email protected]
or the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.

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.

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