Margate RNLI has responded to three calls in three hours making it a busy spell for the volunteer lifeboat crews who have answered seven calls in four days.
The town’s inshore lifeboat was on a training exercise last night (Wednesday 24 July) when UK Coastguard tasked the crew to investigate a report of a person on an inflatable rubber ring, drifting seawards off Margate’s main sands. The situation was quickly resolved with no one requiring assistance.
Soon after, UK Coastguard received a VHF radio call from a 7m yacht with three persons on board reporting they had suffered machinery failure while around two miles north of Margate. The inshore lifeboat was again diverted to assist and due to the size of the yacht Margate’s all-weather lifeboat was tasked to tow it to the safety of Ramsgate harbour.
Later in the evening around 11pm, both the inshore and all-weather lifeboats were tasked following a report of a possible missing swimmer in the Herne Bay area. Both lifeboats conducted an extensive expanding-square search of the area and with no one reported missing the search was called off after around two hours, the call considered to be a false alarm with good intent.
Peter Barker, Lifeboat Press Officer, Margate RNLI said: “We have experienced an exceptionally busy spell over recent weeks, but nothing happens without the commitment of our volunteers who also have their own real lives to live. We are grateful to them and in particular their families who support them and of course local employers who provide similar support in allowing them to answer the call of the pager and help save lives at sea.”
