Margate’s RNLI inshore lifeboat has been in action today (June 19) following reports of drifting dinghies off Palm Bay.
The alert was raised around 5pm when UK Coastguard received a report of a drifting dinghy around half a mile to the east of Margate. The town’s RNLI inshore lifeboat was tasked to investigate along with Margate coastguard rescue team (CRT).
The CRT was quickly on scene where two occupants of the dinghy were seen to have reached the safety of rocks, two others were still in the dinghy and as they had not reached shore the lifeboat continued to the scene to provide assistance.
Around the same time UK Coastguard received a further 999-call reporting an inflatable dinghy being ‘flipped over’ in the wind further offshore and close to the Longnose buoy off Foreness Point. While the lifeboat was carrying out a search of the immediate area it was established that this second dinghy was related to the first casualty and all occupants accounted for. The lifeboat was released and returned to station
