RNLB Norman Harvey (D-778) was launched at the request of UK Coastguard at around 7:30pm this evening to locate a small inflatable dinghy that had been sighted drifting offshore about half a mile to the south east of Forelands.
RNLB Frank and Anne Wilkinson (relief Tamar 16-06) was launched twice this afternoon at the request of UK Coastguard.
The first at around 14:45 to a kayaker who was reported to be in difficulty off Steep Hill Cove, Ventnor; however before they got very far the kayaker was reported by the Ventnor Coastguard team to be safe ashore so they returned back to Bembridge and recovered.
RNLB Alfred Albert Williams (Tamar 16-17) was requested around 16:55 this afternoon by UK Coastguard to help investigate a MayDay Alert that had been picked up from an 11m French Training Yacht (TY DJOU) south east of St Catherine's Point.
RNLB Alfred Albert Williams (Tamar 16-17) was requested at just after midnight (00:15) by UK Coastguard to relieve Selsey RNLI's All Weather Lifeboat who had a 39ft racing yacht "Silver Shamrock" (GBR 5253) with two crew onboard under tow about 7 miles south east of the Nab Tower following a steering failure earlier in the evening.
RNLB Alfred Albert Williams (Tamar 16-17) was launched this afternoon at 15:54 at the request of UK Coastguard to assist in a search for a windsurfer reported missing off Hayling Island. The Coastguard helicopter & Hayling Island RNLI's Atlantic 85 were also tasked. The search was called off at 16:03 when the local Coastguard team located the windsurfer safe ashore. The Alfred Albert Williams returned to Bembridge and was re-housed by 16:45.
Both lifeboats boats have been in action this afternoon (Monday 2nd January). Initially RNLB Alfred Albert Williams (Tamar 16-17) was launched at just after 16:00 at the request of UK Coastguard to assist the 29ft sailing yacht "Go Crazy" with 4 people onboard (2 adults & 2 young children) that had run aground just outside Bembridge Harbour having misread the buoyage on leaving on a falling tide.
RNLB Norman Harvey(D-778) was launched at just before 14:00 at the request of UK Coastguard to assist a 7m angling boat (Oliver) with one person onboard that had broken down about a mile and a half to the South East of the Offshore boathouse. At this stage it was not known what the vessels home port was.
RNLBAlfred Albert Williams (Tamar 16-17) was launched at around 19:30 this evening at the request of Solent Coast Guard to assist Sandown & Shanklin Inshore Rescue recover a 26 foot sailing yacht to Bembridge (Jester Blossom en route to Dartmouth) with two crew onboard that had rigging & engine problems.
