Cowes RNLI lifeboat’s state of preparedness during today’s Round the Island Race was put to good use at lunchtime – but not to go to the aid of one of the thousands of competitors.
The lifeboat was launched at 12:50 after a motor cruiser, with a man and a woman aboard, reported to HM Coastguard that it was suffering engine trouble well east of Cowes.
The vessel, Sundancer, was discovered about a mile off Gilkicker Point and was taken in tow to near Portsea. From there the cruiser was able to use its own outboard motor to proceed on to the local marina
The lifeboat returned to station at 14:40.
Later in the afternoon the First Aid expertise of Cowes RNLI station became useful, when a 17-year-old girl was brought into the premises bleeding from a nasty injury.
The girl had badly gashed a foot when she hit an underwater obstruction while diving into the River Medina from the Whitegates pontoon. Together with her friends, the injured girl was taken by a Cowes Harbour launch to the lifeboat station to receive initial treatment.
It was arranged by St Mary’s Hospital for a taxi to take the teen to Accident and Emergency.
