Eastbourne RNLI's relief all-weather ifeboat, Fisherman's Friend, was launched yesterday (Tuesday) to assist a six metre sailing boat in heavy seas, four miles north east of Sovereign Harbour.

The casualty vessel, with three persons on board, had suffered engine failure and was unable to sail against the strong south westerly winds. Once on scene the volunteer lifeboat crew passed over a tow line and started the precarious tow back in the heavy seas to Sovereign Harbour,

The sailing vessel, registered in Sweden, had been sailing from Dover to Brighton. Once towed back to the harbour she was moored to await engine repairs and wait for fairer weather.

RNLI media contacts

For furtehr information, please contact Roger bridger, Eastbourne RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, on 07711 039774, email rogerbridger@googlemail.com

Gravesend's RNLI lifeboat was launched on Sunday 6 December to assist with the evacuation of an injured dock worker from the Purfleet Deep Water Jetty, just upstream of the QE2 bridge on the River Thames.

Paramedics and Essex Fire Service were called to the scene by the terminal operators but due to the inaccessible position of the casualty who had sustained injuries to his back and shoulder due to a fall, the Coastguard requested the assistance of the lifeboat.

Whilst the lifeboat was en route to the scene, the Coastguard helicopter from Lee on Solent on the Hampshire coast was also scrambled, as it was considered too risky to extract the casualty any other way than by winching from the air.

Once on scene the RNLI lifeboat crew were able to act as on scene coordinator and provided communications between the helicopter and the other emergency services.

RNLI Station Manager, Ian Dunkley said: 'This was a good example of the emergency services cooperating together in a difficult situation on the river. Access to many of the riverside wharves and jetties is difficult, if not impossible, for shore-based rescue personnel and at times like this the lifeboat and rescue helicopters can be invaluable.

'In this case the Coastguard helicopter was the most suitable asset available as there was nowhere for a helicopter to land ruling out the use of the Essex Air Ambulance.'

The casualty was successfully winched into the helicopter and taken to Southend Hospital.

RNLI media contacts

For more information please contact Tim Ash, Divisional Media Relations Manager (South East and London) on 01825 747727 or 07785 296252, email tash@rnli.org.uk or contact RNLI Public Relations on 01202 336789

Teddington's volunteer RNLI lifeboat crew were called to a boat stuck on Teddington Weir in raging waters at 12.43am on the morning of 30 November, with a man, woman and their six month old baby on board.

The woman and baby were rescued but the man refused to leave the boat against the advice of the RNLI crew. The Teddington RNLI lifeboat station duty crew pagers went off at 12.43am and the station's two D-class lifeboats were launched at the request of the London Coastguard Four fire engines, an ambulance and local police were also in attendance.

The 30ft wooden cruiser boat was in trouble after it had lost power whilst coming down river and ended up broached across the booms on Teddington Weir. The crew rescued the woman and the six month old baby who were taken to Teddington Lockhouse to recover from the ordeal. The man on the stranded boat refused to be evacuated, against the strong advice of the lifeboat crew and stayed on the boat with his dog.

The two lifeboat crews were on the water for two hours in all. The river currently has ‘Red Boards’ which means it is unsafe for navigation. Malcolm Miatt, RNLI Teddington Lifeboat Operations Manager said: 'The river is at high water levels and travelling very fast making it extremely strong at the moment. The woman and her baby were very lucky’.

Later that day, at 11.15am, the boat was towed to safety by an Environment Agency tugboat.

Notes to editors

• Teddington lifeboat station has been operating since January 2002. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to www.rnli.org.uk/teddington 
• Teddington Lifeboat Station Operations Manager, Malcolm Miatt, is available for interview.

RNLI media contacts For more information please telephone Becky Lee, Teddington RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer, on 07789 001730, email becky@orangeonastring.com or Tim Ash, Divisional Media Relations Manager (south east and London) on 01825 747727 / 07785 296252, email tash@rnli.org.uk alternatively contact RNLI Public Relations on 01202 336789

Puffin, the Burnham D class lifeboat was launched at 3.35pm, and tasked to search up the River Parrett. Consequentially, Staines Whitfield, the Burnham Atlantic class lifeboat was then launched as an additional resource and tasked to search between Steart Point and Brean down.

Both boats were eventually stood down by Swansea Coastguard Control after police found the missing person, a man in his fifties, at an address. Lifeboat volunteers returned the lifeboats to the station for washing down and returning to service.

Helmsman Nick Prout, in charge of Puffin, who was talking with a customer at his boatyard when paged had proceeded with all haste to the station, ready for the launch. He commented: 'Weather conditions were calm, with not much navigable water upriver with the dropping tide.'

Notes to editors

Lifeboats in service at Burnham-on-Sea:
A 7.5m Atlantic 75 named Staines Whitfield and a smaller 4.95m D class IB1 inflatable named Puffin. The station was opened officially on 15th May 2004, but has been operational since December 2003.

RNLI media contacts

For more information about this release please contact Mike Lang, RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07889 815860 or mike.lang@btinternet.com Alternatively, contact Tamsin Thomas, Media Relations Manager RNLI South-West on 07866 68847 or tthomas@rnli.org.uk In the absence of the above, contact RNLI Public Relations on 01202 336789.

During the afternoon of Friday 4 December 2009, both of Criccieth’s RNLI lifeboats were launched to assist a lone yachtsman who had got into difficulties close to Porthmadog Bar.

The trimaran ENIF was sailing from Porthmadog for Pwllheli when she experienced rudder failure and grounded on a sandbank. Criccieth’s Atlantic 85 lifeboat DORIS JOAN was first launched to assist the trimaran but when she arrived on scene she discovered that she couldn’t get closer than about 250 yards to the vessel due to the shallow water around her. She stood by the trimaran whilst the small Arancia Inshore Rescue Boat sent to the Criccieth Lifeboat Station in July 2009 was launched from Porthmadog Harbour. This boat has been specially provided to cope with the shallow water problems in the Glaslyn and Dwyryd Estuaries. She proved ideal for this incident, and manned by father and son Gordon and Tom Emery, managed to get to the trimaran. In view of the deteriorating weather, and poor weather forecast for that night, the owner was taken off the trimaran and brought safely into Porthmadog Harbour. The trimaran was left where she was with two anchors laid out to prevent her moving on the rising tide.

Later that evening the Atlantic 85 was launched once more to the trimaran and was able to tow her to the safety of Porthmadog Harbour.

Commenting on the rescue Peter Williams, Criccieth Lifeboat Operations Manager said: 'This was a good rescue and proved the worth of having the small Arancia Inshore Rescue Boat available to deal with casualties such as this which find themselves in trouble in the shallow waters of the Glaslyn and Dwyryd Estuaries. She has now been launched four times on service since her arrival here and this was the first time that she has rescued anyone. She is proving to be a vital asset to our lifeboat station'.

Sign up for text alerts every time your local RNLI lifeboat is launched In order to sign up for the alerts go here: http://www.rnli.org.uk/what_we_do/lifeboats/launches/mobile_phone 

For more ways to raise money for the RNLI and information on how to take part in the charity’s biggest fundraising day go to www.rnli.org.uk/sosday

RNLI media contacts

For more information please contact Criccieth Lifeboat Press Officer Keith Allmark on 07736 386000 or Danielle Rush, RNLI Media Relations Manager in Wales on 01745 585162 or 07786 668829. Alternatively contact RNLI Public Relations on 01202 336789 or email pressoffice@rnli.org.uk

On Sunday 6 December the crew of Chiswick RNLI lifeboat station rescued a woman from the rapidly rising tide after she had fallen more than six metres from the river wall in Fulham.

Chiswick RNLI lifeboat crew were on exercise near the station in Chiswick when they received a call at 2.19pm from London Coastguard. Six minutes later, they arrived at the wharf close to Wandsworth Bridge to find the casualty on the remaining two metres of foreshore which was rapidly diminishing with the rising spring tide.

Two of the lifeboat crew, assisted by a London Ambulance Service paramedic, stabilised the casualty with a neck brace and transferred her onto a spinal board before moving her into the boat on the lifeboat’s stretcher. Firemen from the fireboat based in Lambeth were also in attendance and assisted with the transfer onto the lifeboat.

The lifeboat rendezvoused with an ambulance at Chelsea Harbour Pier so the woman could be transferred to hospital. Glen Munroe, Chiswick RNLI duty helmsman said: 'Because the river wall is over six metres high at this point, the casualty could only be rescued by water. We were able to place the lifeboat a couple of metres away to effect a rapid transfer.'

Ian Owen, RNLI lifeboat mechanic who was on the foreshore, added: 'We had only five minutes to stabilise the woman so she could be moved before the water covered her. The woman was confused and vomiting, the large amount of rubbish in the river at this point probably reduced the impact of her fall.'

Notes to editors

• The RNLI has 233 lifeboat stations including four on the Thames.
• Chiswick RNLI lifeboat became operational on the 2nd January 2002. Since then it has responded to over 1,470 emergency calls. The four Thames lifeboats together have responded to over 5,000 calls.
• To learn more about the lifeboat station go to www.chiswicklifeboat.org.uk 
• The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and Government and is entirely supported by voluntary contributions

Media contacts

For more information or photographs contact David Clarke, RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07951 210500

A fisherman from a Newlyn based gill netter owes his life to the fast actions of his skipper and crew after getting tangled up and dragged overboard whilst shooting nets 15 miles SE from Newlyn last night.

The volunteer crew of the Penlee all-weather lifeboat launched at 9:12pm last night to give medical assistance to a fisherman, that had suffered crush injuries and shock, after being dragged overboard from the FV Ocean Spray that was shooting its last string of nets at 8:45pm.

Luckily for him his skipper saw him go overboard and immediately went full astern to close the gap between him and the vessel. When he resurfaced he was close enough to be hauled back aboard the vessel.

Penlee arrived alongside the vessel at 9:50pm with the idea to put a crewman onboard to administer first aid. However a very high swell and a strong SW wind made this a difficult and dangerous task, so the lifeboat escorted the Ocean Spray to Newlyn, whilst monitoring the condition of the injured fisherman.

Once alongside in Newlyn the volunteer lifeboat crew treated the fisherman using oxygen and entonox before the ambulance arrived. The lifeboat crew then carried him off the vessel and to the pontoon using the RNLI basket stretcher. The injured fisherman was then taken to hospital.

Patch Harvey, RNLI Coxswain for Penlee says:

‘He is a very lucky man. This could have been a very sad outcome if it wasn’t for the quick actions of his skipper and crewmate especially in those conditions.’

RNLI media contacts For more information contact RNLI Public Relations on 01202 336789

A fisherman from a Newlyn based gill netter owes his life to the fast actions of his skipper and crew after getting tangled up and dragged overboard whilst shooting nets 15 miles SE from Newlyn last night.

The volunteer crew of the Penlee all-weather lifeboat launched at 9:12pm last night to give medical assistance to a fisherman, that had suffered crush injuries and shock, after being dragged overboard from the FV Ocean Spray that was shooting its last string of nets at 8:45pm.

Luckily for him his skipper saw him go overboard and immediately went full astern to close the gap between him and the vessel. When he resurfaced he was close enough to be hauled back aboard the vessel.

Penlee arrived alongside the vessel at 9:50pm with the idea to put a crewman onboard to administer first aid. However a very high swell and a strong SW wind made this a difficult and dangerous task, so the lifeboat escorted the Ocean Spray to Newlyn, whilst monitoring the condition of the injured fisherman.

Once alongside in Newlyn the volunteer lifeboat crew treated the fisherman using oxygen and entonox before the ambulance arrived. The lifeboat crew then carried him off the vessel and to the pontoon using the RNLI basket stretcher. The injured fisherman was then taken to hospital.

Patch Harvey, RNLI Coxswain for Penlee says:

‘He is a very lucky man. This could have been a very sad outcome if it wasn’t for the quick actions of his skipper and crewmate especially in those conditions.’

RNLI media contacts For more information contact RNLI Public Relations on 01202 336789

Following an alert form Falmouth Coastguard last night, The Lizard Lifeboat was launched at 6.10pm to the aid of the Fowey registered fishing vessel Red Vixen, with two crew aboard, adrift with a fouled propeller, 28 miles south of Lizard Point.

Under the command of local fisherman Deputy Second Coxswain Louis Mitchell, together with his 6 crew members - John Hill, Rob Goddard, Josh Legge, Simon Fayers, Richard Woodmansey and full time mechanic Dan Atkinson, the lifeboat promptly found the casualty and towed her slowly north to Falmouth, arriving at Custom House Quay at 1.25am before steaming back to her boathouse in Kilcobben Cove.

Deputy Coxswain Mitchell said: 'This was a routine service for us, well carried out by a very enthusiastic crew'.

By 4am the lifeboat had been recovered up the slipway, re-housed, washed down, refuelled and was declared ready for service once again.

With the job well done, and having had a welcome cuppa, the crew and shore helpers retired home to their families, for a brief rest before heading back to their daytime jobs.

Following an alert form Falmouth Coastguard last night, The Lizard Lifeboat was launched at 6.10pm to the aid of the Fowey registered fishing vessel Red Vixen, with two crew aboard, adrift with a fouled propeller, 28 miles south of Lizard Point.

Under the command of local fisherman Deputy Second Coxswain Louis Mitchell, together with his 6 crew members - John Hill, Rob Goddard, Josh Legge, Simon Fayers, Richard Woodmansey and full time mechanic Dan Atkinson, the lifeboat promptly found the casualty and towed her slowly north to Falmouth, arriving at Custom House Quay at 1.25am before steaming back to her boathouse in Kilcobben Cove.

Deputy Coxswain Mitchell said: 'This was a routine service for us, well carried out by a very enthusiastic crew'.

By 4am the lifeboat had been recovered up the slipway, re-housed, washed down, refuelled and was declared ready for service once again.

With the job well done, and having had a welcome cuppa, the crew and shore helpers retired home to their families, for a brief rest before heading back to their daytime jobs.

The Stromness RNLI Lifeboat VDK was launched at 3:34 pm to assist the crew of the local sea fishing boat Welcome Home whose engine had developed mechanical problems 1 mile west of the Hoy low lighthouse.

The Welcome Home was able to make her way back to Stromness Harbour escorted by the lifeboat and the dive boat Karin. Once in the harbour the Welcome Home lost all power and was berthed by the lifeboat. The lifeboat was then refuelled and made ready for service.

Notes to editors.

• Stromness lifeboat station has been operating since 1867. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to www.stromnesslifeboat.org.uk   

• A video of the Severn Class lifeboat can be viewed at http://www.rnli.org.uk/who_we_are/press_centre/videos/video_detail?articleid=321818&category=®ion=&listing=  

• A photo of Stromness’s Severn lifeboat can be viewed at http://www.rnli.org.uk/who_we_are/press_centre/photos/photo_detail?articleid=354060  

RNLI media contacts.

For more information please contact: Tim Barthorpe, Stromness Lifeboat Station Volunteer Press Officer Telephone: 01856 850258 or email tim@barthorpe.me.uk  

or

Rachel Martin, Media Relations Manager Scotland Telephone: 07786 668903 or email ramartin@rnli.org.uk  

or

Contact RNLI Public Relations on 01202 336789 or email pressoffice@rnli.org.uk  

Volunteers based at Sunderland RNLI Lifeboat Station were among the emergency services that were called into action earlier tonight to assist a distressed man on Wearmouth Bridge.

Shortly after 5.00pm this evening [Sunday, 13 December] Humber Coastguard contacted the Lifeboat Operations Manager of Sunderland RNLI to request the immediate launch of their Sunderland RNLI’s Atlantic 85 Lifeboat Wolseley.

The request came after Sunderland Coastguard Team sighted a distressed man on the western footpath of the bridge.

The RNLI lifeboat was deployed to the scene along with Officers from Northumbria Police.

Paul Nicholson, Senior Helmsman at Sunderland RNLI said:

'As we were in the process of lowering the lifeboat into the water, Humber Coastguard informed us that the incident had been successfully resolved.'

As a registered charity the RNLI relies on voluntary donations and legacies from the public for its income.

RNLI media contacts

For more information please contact Paul Nicholson, Sunderland RNLI Press Officer on 07957 494 077 or pauldnich@yahoo.co.uk or Anthony Jobling, Sunderland RNLI Assistant Press Officer on 07977 152 399 or anthonyjobling@sky.com As an alternative please contact Alison Levett, Media Relations Manager North on 07786 668 912 or alevett@rnli.org.uk or RNLI Headquarters Public Relations on 01202 336000.

Kirkwall RNLI Lifeboat goes to assist as local clam dredger is wrecked on rocks off Stronsay. Lone crewman airlifted to safety.

Shetland Coastguard requested the launch of the RNLI Kirkwall all-weather lifeboat at 5.06pm after the crewman of a clam dredging vessel Spring Tide had run aground on the east coast of Stronsay and was taking water; the crewman had requested immediate assistance.

Margaret Foster departed station at 5.20pm with Coxswain Geoff Gardens and six crew aboard and proceeded via the String toward Stronsay.

At 5.50pm the lifeboat was informed by SCG that Spring Tide was being abandoned by her single crewman. At 5.52pm the coastguard helicopter 102 winched a man down to check out the crewman. The crewman was subsequently winched aboard the helicopter and transported to Balfour Hospital in Kirkwall for a check-up.

At 6.26pm the lifeboat was stood down by SCG, and proceeded towards Kirkwall, arriving back at station at 7.30pm and was refuelled, ready for service again at 7.40pm.

RNLI media contacts

For more information please telephone Graeme Smith, RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 08730071968 or orksmith@btinternet.com or Rachel Martin Media Relations Manager Scotland on 07786 668903 or ramartin@rnli.org.uk or contact RNLI Public Relations on 01202 336789

The festivities are underway in Salcombe. On Saturday 5 December the Lifeboats Guild held their annual Christmas fundraiser at the Tides Reach hotel in South Sands, and on Wednesday 9 Salcombe lifeboat crew held a Christmas party at the Salcombe Yacht Club with an open invitation to all the people of the town with live music from local band Filthy Gorgeous.

Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer Daniel Ashton said:

‘The guild raises an enormous amount of money for our station and the RNLI as a whole - we’re very grateful for all their hard work. Without any doubt, the guild has been responsible for helping Salcombe lifeboats save lives.’

The fundraiser got underway on Saturday morning with a range of stalls selling Christmas gifts and lifeboat memorabilia. There was an opportunity for members of the public attending the event to meet members of the crew and hear their tales of the seas and the people they’ve rescued over the last 12 months.

Lifeboats Guild Chairman Helen Higgins confirmed the event raised over £2,180. This money will help train RNLI voluntary crew - regular training is vital to allow volunteers to go to sea and save lives.

In 2008 the RNLI rescued 7,612 people across the country, averaging out at 21 a day.

The Lifeboats Guild are an organisation comprised of volunteers from the local community, who help the RNLI charity by holding numerous fundraising events throughout the year and help to raise public awareness. Watch out for more events to come including RNLI SOS Day event on Friday 29 January, which this year will be held at the Fortescue Inn, Salcombe.

Notes to editors

Photos provided by Lynn Thurtle. Taken outside the Tides Reach hotel. From left to right: Salcombe Lifeboat Chairman Tim Noyce. Lifeboats Guild Chairman Helen Higgins, Salcombe Lifeboat Coxswain Marco Brimacombe.

RNLI media contacts

For more information please contact Salcombe RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer, Dan Ashton on pressofficer@salcombelifeboat.co.uk

Ilfracombe RNLI inshore lifeboat, Deborah Brown II, was officially named on Saturday 28 November at a ceremony held at Ilfracombe RNLI lifeboat station.

The inshore lifeboat was donated to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution by Mr Paul Brown, in memory of his wife Deborah Brown, who tragically died in 1996. This is the second inshore lifeboat to be stationed at Ilfracombe and to bear the name Deborah Brown.

The funds were raised by Paul Brown, an inspector with the traffic unit of the Metropolitan Police Force. Legal & General also contributed toward this project.

Paul and his four sons attended the dedication ceremony on Saturday afternoon with over 200 invited guests. The lifeboat was named by Deborah Brown’s sister Mrs Patricia Webb.

Mr Colin Knill, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Ilfracombe said:

“We are extremely grateful to Mr Paul Brown and his family for presenting us with our second inshore lifeboat, to be named after Deborah Brown. Everyone at Ilfracombe lifeboat station would like to thank Paul for all his hard work.

Notes to Editors

• The first attached photograph shows the naming ceremony of Deborah Brown II at Ilfracombe Lifeboat station with Deputy Divisional Inspector Nigel Jones describing the inshore lifeboat capabilities to the assembled guests.
• The second photograph shows the Deborah Brown at sea being put through its paces for Mr Paul Brown and his family onboard the Ilfracombe RNLI all-weather lifeboat.
• Both photographs were taken by Nigel Millard of the RNLI

RNLI media contacts

For more information please call Bernice Putt volunteer RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer on 01271 862402 or mobile 07816766833.

RNLI Sheerness all-weather lifeboat was launched at 2.25pm on Monday 30 November to the 22ft yacht Gwendoline, which made a 'Mayday' call, received by Thames Coastguard, to say they were sinking approximately three miles North East of the Montgomery wreck. A Sheerness pilot cutter also proceeded, along with RAF search and rescue helicopter 125, based at Wattisham.

The Sheerness lifeboat located the yacht approximately six miles East of Garrison Point, where the RAF rescue helicopter was already on scene. The lifeboat transferred one crewman and a pump to the vessel and took the yacht in tow. After a short while, the tow was brought up alongside and the two occupants taken onboard the lifeboat. The craft was pumped out and the tow continued to Queenborough Harbour, where the vessel was secured and pumped dry once again.

There were two brothers onboard, both in their fifties - neither occupant required medical attention but were very wet and cold.

The lifeboat returned to station at 6pm.

RNLI media contacts

For further information, please contact Sheerness Lifeboat Press Officer, Barry Crayford on 01795 555801 or 07851 774286.

Looe lifeboat station received a generous donation from Crystal palace manager Neil Warnock today as payment for a large model boat – The Toulonnaise, which is over a metre long.

Launched on August 13 1832 in Toulon, the Toulonnaise took part in the war against Spain in the shelling of Cadix.

This magnificent Billings Boats model, which is pictured, was made and donated to Looe RNLI by Barry Tucker of Jersey. It was inspired by his father-in-law, who was a captain on the Blue Funnel Line and Barry’s family, all of whom were ex-seaman with a close connection to the RNLI.

Ann Watson, chair of Looe’s RNLI fundraising committee, received the cheque and remarked:

‘Neil’s generous donation is appreciated and has greatly assisted in our fund raising efforts.’

Notes to editors

• Looe lifeboat station has been operating since 1824. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to www.looelifeboats.org
• Photographs relating to this news release may be available, if required, by emailing the Looe RNLI Press Officer, Laurie Watson at lolwatson@talk21.com
• Archive photos for Looe lifeboats are also available using the above contact email

RNLI media contacts

For further information please contact Laurie Watson, Looe RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 01503 262265 or 07736 255496 or Tamsin Thomas, Media Relations Manager South on 07786 668847 or tthomas@rnli.org.uk or contact RNLI Public Relations on 01202 336789.

A person overboard was reported off the Stena Europe ferry shortly after she departed from Rosslare for Fishguard yesterday evening.
Rosslare RNLI lifeboat launched at 9.50pm and proceeded to an area east of Rosslare, the South Long Buoy. The Irish Coastguard helicopter, Stena Europe, Irish Ferries Isle of Inishmore and fast craft from both ferries, all under the command of the Rosslare RNLI lifeboat, undertook a thorough search of the area.

As the search moved slowly southwards, because of the strength of the tides, the Kilmore RNLI lifeboat was also required to join the search.

A body was recovered from the water in the early hours of the morning.

RNLI media contacts

For further information please contact volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer Madeleine Quirke on 087 6237685.

Two calls in as many days to three surfers in trouble and a sick crewman on a merchant ship have kept the crews of Margate’s two lifeboats busy in what has been an exceptionally busy year for the charities volunteer crews.

Yesterday (1 December) coastguards at Dover were alerted to the plight off three surfers at Joss Bay, Broadstairs. They had gone to the aid of a person in a kayak who had got into difficulties but were thought to be encountering problems themselves in their attempts to rescue the kayaker in blustery conditions. The inshore lifeboat was launched and before arriving the surfers and the person in the kayak managed to make shore unaided. The lifeboat recovered the kayak from the sea to prevent it being the cause for possible concern later in the day.

This morning (2 December) the all weather lifeboat was called out after the master of a cargo ship was taken ill. The Russian general cargo ship Sormovskiy-3056 was at anchor in the Margate Roads awaiting better weather before continuing their voyage to Santander when they contacted coastguards at Dover reporting that the ships master had been taken ill. It was suspected that he may have had a heart attack and doctors ashore recommended his immediate evacuation from the vessel. The Mersey class all weather lifeboat was tasked to the incident and was soon alongside the vessel. The casualty was brought ashore to Margate harbour by the lifeboat where he was handed over to the care of the South East Coast Ambulance Service who took him to the QEQM hospital in Margate.

Peter Barker, Margate lifeboat operations manager says; “This is the fourth call we have had this year to evacuate an ill crewman from a merchant ship in what has been a particularly busy year for our volunteer crews. We have responded to over 60 calls so far this year, up by around 45% on last year. This increase is possibly down to the mixed bag of weather during the year that has encouraged people to take to the sea but then find themselves in difficulties when the weather changes suddenly”

Enquiries regarding the Russian seaman should be directed to QEQM hospital Margate.

Notes to editors

• Margate lifeboat station has been operating since 1860. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to www.rnli.org.uk/margate
• A video of a Mersey class lifeboat in rough seas can be viewed at www.rnli.org.uk/who_we_are/press_centre/videos/video_detail?articleid=321824&category=®ion=&listing=
• A photo of Margate’s Mersey class all-weather lifeboat Leonard Kent and the D Class inshore lifeboat can be viewed at www.rnli.org.uk/rnli_near_you/east/stations/MargateKent/gallery

Mudeford RNLI's Atlantic 85 class lifeboat, ‘Mudeford Servant’, was requested to launch at approximately 11.30 last night (Tuesday 1 December), to join the search for a missing person.

A man, believed to be in his early thirties and from London, had been reported missing by his family after not returning home when expected from a fishing trip in Mudeford.

The Coastguard helicopter located the man’s dinghy in an inaccessible location 300 yards east of Chewton Bunny (Barton on Sea) and his car was found in Mudeford Quay car park.

The search for the man continued when Lymington and Yarmouth RNLI lifeboats, together with Southbourne and Lymington Coastguard, were then also tasked to broaden the shoreline search. The seas were very rough now and there were strong south-westerly winds. Police at this stage were also conducting a land search.

Mudeford RNLI lifeboat was stood down after three and a half hours at 2.42 this morning and returned to station at 3am. The search was called off and the land search would continue in daylight by the Coastguard.

RNLI media contacts

For more information please telephone RNLI press office on 01202 336789 or email pressoffice@rnli.org.uk