Dungeness RNLI rescue angling boat and jet skier in two callouts in one morning
Published: 00:00, 22 August 2014
Updated: 13:25, 22 August 2014
An angling boat had to be rescued after being stuck on the seagoing version of a motorway fast lane.
lt was left broken down and helpless on a dangerously busy Channel shipping lane near Dungeness.
This was Dungeness RNLI’s second distress called in four hours when they also had to help an injured jetskier.
Coxswain Stuart Adams said of the angling boat rescue: “The casualty was well prepared and made the right decision in calling for assistance.
“It must have felt like being broken down in the fast lane of a motorway. We were happy to assist.”
The Dungeness lifeboat The Morrell was first called out at 7.44am yesterday when the 10-metre angling boat had gearbox failure 13.5 miles east of the RNLI station.
The crew of two people called for help and their boat was towed by The Morrell safely into Dover Harbour.
But as the lifeboat was sailed home from the port Dover Coastguard called the crew at 11.37am following reports of an injured power pack jet skier. This was about two miles from Dungeness.
Once at the scene a lifeboatman pitched himself into the water and with the help of two other jetskiers got the casualty into a basket stretcher, which was pulled aboard The Morrell.
The victim was brought back to the Dungeness station to a waiting ambulance crew.
The paramedics assessed the casualty and declared him fit enough to walk with no hospital treatment needed.
Mr Adams said: “The jet skiers were very sensible and had prepared for any emergency, which is why they were quickly able to contact the coastguards with their VHF hand-held radio to ask for help.”
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Sam Lennon