Coastguard praise well-trained and quick-thinking angling boat skipper


Seven people were rescued from an angling boat today after its skipper called the Coastguard on VHF channel 16 at 11.30 am to report that he was sinking and required assistance. The vessel was one nautical mile south east of Yarmouth Harbour. All those on board were wearing lifejackets and the liferaft was ready to be deployed.
The offshore standby vessel ‘Putford Puffin’ was nearby and deployed its daughter boat which took six of the seven people on board. The seventh person, the skipper, remained on board the angling boat and the Gorlestone RNLI Lifeboat assisted him with getting a pump on board to pump off the excess water and stabilise his boat. All seven people were then transferred onto the lifeboat and they were taken back to Yarmouth Harbour, where they were received onshore by the Gorlestone Coastguard Rescue Team. The angling vessel was towed back into harbour by the lifeboat.
Jolene Smith for the UK Coastguard said
“This was a serious incident, but thanks to a well-trained and quick-thinking skipper and the correct communications and lifesaving equipment, we were able to ensure that rescue resources were quickly at the scene.”
 
 

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