Margate RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crew and Thanet coastguard officers have been in action following reports of an abandoned sailing dinghy off the Thanet coast.
UK Coastguard received multiple reports from members of the public around 1pm today (21 June) reporting an apparently abandoned dinghy with sails set, while others reported it had capsized and was drifting northwards in the breeze off Broadstairs.
Margate’s B class RNLI lifeboat along with the Coastguard Rescue Team were tasked to investigate, the latter sighting the capsized craft a mile east of North Foreland. The lifeboat located the dinghy which was checked for recent occupancy.
It was established that the occupants of the craft were safely ashore at Viking Bay.
The lifeboat crew were able to partly de-rig the vessel and after assessing the situation and considering the risk to navigation and the possibility of it being reported again, it was agreed it should be towed back to shore.
The lifeboat took the craft in tow and returned it to its owners at Viking Bay.
Derek Amas, Lifeboat Operations Manager, RNLI Margate said: “There was concern that a potentially serious situation was developing following the calls to the coastguard.
“Members of the public are very much the eyes and ears of the rescue services with identifying potential emergencies at sea and we are grateful to those who called it in. If anyone sees anything untoward on the coast or at sea we urge people to dial 999 and ask for coastguard.”
