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Gravesend lifeboat launches to vessel with loss of power and steering

Lifeboats News Release

8:40pm on Saturday 31 May, Gravesend RNLI were called by Port of London and made aware of a vessel with a solo skipper whom had a hand injury and had lost all power and steering in Northfleet Hope.

Gravesend RNLI's lifeboat has its blue light flashing and is leaving its floating pontoon.

RNLI/Gravesend

Gravesend RNLI's lifeboat seen leaving its floating pontoon.
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Duty RNLI Commander Andy Colley said, ‘we were informed that the Harbour Master had eyes on the casualty in distress, making no way but unable to get to a safe haven, however, the harbour vessel couldn’t assist at the time due to state of tide’.

Gravesend RNLI launched at the request of HM Coastguard and were on scene by 8:50pm.

Volunteer Thames Navigator Ashley Bard added, ‘when we arrived on scene, we could see the small casualty boat alongside the Harbour Master's vessel with the casualty holding onto a rope trying to keep himself secure, but the tide was ebbing extremely fast and the winds were very strong making it incredibly hard for him to hold on.'

Andy added, ‘our immediate action was to get the casualty off his small vessel and made safe, one lifeboat volunteer assessed his injuries whilst others set up a tow on his damaged vessel.'

Once the tow was set up, the lifeboat took it to a safe haven in Broadness on the river Thames and landed the casualty safely ashore at Greenhithe Causeway.

The lifeboat was then stood down from service and returned station, made ready for service at 9:50pm.

Notes to Editor

Gravesend is one of the RNLI’s newest lifeboat stations and one of four lifeboat stations operating on the River Thames – the first stations to specifically cover a river rather than estuarial waters or the sea.

Our lifeboat is Olive Laura Deare II, an Atlantic 85 B class inshore lifeboat, which is one of the fastest types in the fleet.

RNLI media contacts

For more information please contact:

· Ashley Bard, RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on [email protected]

· Hatti Mellor, Regional Communications Manager [email protected]

· 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.

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.

About the author

Ashley Bard
Lifeboat Press Officer, Gravesend

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