Sheerness RNLI lifeboat crew assist mast-fall yachtsman

RNLI Sheerness lifeboat

The Sheerness RNLI inshore lifeboat was called out twice yesterday, Sunday 9 April to assist injured yacht crew in separate incidents.

In the first incident, the volunteer crew were tasked by the UK Coastguard at 1.41pm to reports that a person had fallen from the mast of a yacht moored off Gillingham Strand in the River Medway.

On arrival at the scene the crew were informed that the man had fallen approximately 10 feet from the mast and had landed on to another crew member

One casualty care trained lifeboat crew member went aboard the yacht to assess the injured man and administer oxygen whilst the ILB went the short distance to Gillingham Marina fuel pontoon to pick up a Kent ambulance paramedic who was in attendance.

The paramedic was transferred to the yacht and with assistance from the lifeboat crew the casualty was fitted with a neck brace and placed onto a spinal board and then transferred onto the ILB and taken to a waiting Ambulance.

The ILB returned to station at 4.08pm

The second call came at 7.02pm when the ILB was called to reports that a craft ‘Double Dutch’ had run aground near the M2 bridge at Cuxton.

On arriving at the scene the crew found that a second craft was also aground after going to the assistance of the first vessel.

The crew were then informed that a 13-year-old boy on board one of the boats had somehow quite badly crushed two fingers and was in a lot of pain and so he was quickly taken on board the lifeboat and taken to the Medway Bridge Marina where he was transferred to a waiting ambulance.

The ILB then returned to the marooned craft and after a tow line was attached ‘Double Dutch’ was towed to a mooring close by whilst the second craft had now managed to free itself.

The ILB returned to station at 9.25pm.