Four calls in three hours for Margate RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crews

RNLI lifeguards at Stone Bay, Broadstairs contacted HM Coastguard around 3pm today (Saturday 30 May) reporting an angler cut off by the rising tide on rocks between Stone Bay and Joss Bay.

Margate RNLI’s D class inshore lifeboat was tasked to assist while the lifeguards kept the casualty under observation, Margate Coastguard Rescue Team also tasked to assist. The casualty was quickly located and after being taken on board the lifeboat was landed at Joss Bay where they were met by family members.

The lifeboat started to make passage towards an ongoing incident close inshore at Westgate-on-Sea which was quickly resolved before the lifeboat’s arrival but was re-tasked again for a third incident when HM Coastguard received a 999 call from a 5 metre long fishing vessel with three persons on board reporting engine failure while off Foreness Point, Margate.

The lifeboat soon arrived on scene and provided safety cover while another local fishing vessel offered assistance and took the casualty vessel in tow for Ramsgate harbour. The lifeboat escorted the two craft until the situation was stabilised with the casualty vessel safely in tow and was released to return to station.

Soon after its return the D class lifeboat was tasked for call number four when another small fishing boat, off Palm Bay, Cliftonville and with two persons on board experienced machinery problems and contacted HM Coastguard requesting assistance. With no other craft in the vicinity able to assist it was considered the optimal solution was for the lifeboat to tow the craft back to Margate harbour where it was secured alongside.

Kieran Sharrock, Launch Authority, Margate RNLI said: “It was fortuitous that all the calls came in quick succession allowing for a quick response, also that the RNLI lifeguards and those on the disabled fishing vessels raised the alarm at an early stage.

“Mobile phones at sea are useful but have limitations, a marine VHF radio provides superior coverage and allows direct communication with rescue units which can ‘home in’ on the signal.”

Notes to editors

· Margate lifeboat station has been operating since 1860. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/margate-lifeboat-station

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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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