It has proven to be another busy day for the volunteers of Ryde Inshore Rescue, who have responded to not 1 but 2 shouts this evening alone (Saturday).
The first tasking from Solent Coastguard came in at 17:13 when Ryde Rescue 1 was requested to intercept a small blue rowing boat with 5 persons on board. Neither of the group members had life jackets or any safety equipment and the boat was venturing into the main shipping channel.
To prevent a possible tragedy, the 5 young men were transferred into the lifeboat and taken into Ryde Harbour, alongside the small wooden boat. It was the second time in 24 hours that the group had been spoken to; this time stern words of advice were give before the lifeboat was recovered from the harbour.
It wasn’t long after washing down the lifeboat and equipment that the second tasking of the day was received at 19:07. This time the shout was to the vessel ‘Manatee Voyager’ with 2 persons on board suffering complete engine failure near the entrance to Portmouth Harbour and in the main shipping channel.
Ryde Rescue 1 was once again called into action and the casualty vessel was taken under tow to Haslar Marina.
Both shouts came after a day of fundraising and public safety campaigning at the Armed Forces Day celebrations on the Eastern Gardens.
The independent lifeboat station has now completed 22 individual shouts so far this year, making it one of the busiest lifeboat stations on the Island at present.
