A suspected migrant dinghy seen drifting off the coast of the Isle of Wight prompted the launch of Yarmouth Lifeboat yesterday afternoon (Wednesday) – just hours after Bembridge RNLI responded to another migrant boat sighting.
Solent Coastguard requested the launch of Yarmouth RNLI’s All Weather Lifeboat at just before 15:30 after it was reported that a boat had been seen drifting south of The Needles.
Yarmouth’s volunteer crew swiftly launched the Severn-class lifeboat and headed several miles out to sea towards the English Channel.
It didn’t take long for the crew to locate the inflatable vessel and confirm nobody was at risk.
Yesterday’s shout came just 6 hours after an inflatable was sighted off the South East coast of the Island, which led to Bembridge RNLI’s Tamar-class lifeboat being launched. The dingy was deflated and hauled aboard the lifeboat and is set to be disposed of by Border Force officials.
HM Coastguard has told Island Echo that it was not possible for Yarmouth Lifeboat to safely recover the empty inflatable, which has been described as being similar to that of one recovered by Bembridge Lifeboat.
