Who to Rescue the Rescuer?
by Maritime And Coastguard Agency/Sail-World on 13 Apr 2008
The rocks are just as hard in Poole Harbour SW
In what must have looked like a comedy of errors for any watchers nearby, some rescuers and their rescuees had to be all rescued in Poole, UK, this week.
When the tender sent to rescue a yacht heading for rocks got into trouble itself, they both had to be rescued. One life boat, two Police vessels and a tug later, the two craft and their occupants were safely delivered from catastrophe, but with only two life jackets between the four...
There were two people on the 30 ft yacht and a further two people in a civilian tender - sent to help them - rescued in the operation in Poole Harbour.
The incident was reported to Portland Coastguard at 10.07am after the yacht, the Ray Humphries, suffered engine failure and began to drift towards the harbour wall. A tender which came to help, also got into difficulties.
Both the Poole Inshore and All-Weather RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) lifeboats were launched and two police RIBS and a tug boat attended the scene.
The yacht became stuck on rocks and the crew was safely evacuated by the all-weather lifeboat. The yacht was refloated at 11.30am. No injuries were reported during the incident.
A Coastguard spokesman said: 'We were particularly concerned during this rescue operation because there appeared to be only two lifejackets for all four people. We would like to reinforce the message that craft should carry enough lifejackets for all people on board.'
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