Three launches in one evening on Monday (August 21) kept the volunteer crew of Ramsgate RNLI busy as the warmer weather drew people out onto the water.
At 4.40pm the first launch took place when the all-weather Esme Anderson was launched at the request of HM Coastguards after a PanPan was received by a yacht with engine failure near the Broadstairs Knoll.
The all-weather had taken the yacht under tow and was off Stone Bay heading towards Ramsgate when a Mayday call was received from a motor yacht taking on water.
This caused a dilemma as the all-weather still had the yacht in tow, so a request was made to launch the inshore lifeboat Claire and David Delves to the small angling boat. In the meantime the all weather proceeded as fast as safely possible towards the scene of the sinking motor yacht, which was on route to Ramsgate, with the yacht still in tow, arriving just after the inshore lifeboat.
Two of the inshore crew went onboard the motor yacht with a salvage pump and proceeded to pump the water out whilst the all-weather crew stood by just in case their larger pump was needed.
When sufficient water had been removed to be able to move the motor yacht safely, a line was passed from the inshore and they were able to tow it into Broadstairs Harbour and moor it up with the assistance of a Coastguard mobile unit.
The all-weather Esme Anderson was then able to take the original casualty into Ramsgate Harbour where it was moored up.
Later that evening the third launch was requested at 8.35pm when a yacht found itself on the sand bank at the B2 buoy. The inshore lifeboat was launched but as the yacht was hard aground with a low tide they were unable to approach it.
The crew onboard the casualty were contacted by radio and found to be safe with no welfare concerns and in no immediate danger. The decision was made for the crew of the yacht to stay where they were until the tide rose when they would be able to float the yacht and sail away. Regular welfare checks would be made on them by the Coastguard and so the inshore returned to station.
Ramsgate Coxswain Ian Cannon said: “The summer is always a busy time for us with people flocking to the seaside and taking to the water. We are grateful to all of our supporters as the RNLI is purely financed by public donations.”
