Selsey Lifeboat Station - Launches

23rd March 2016

Selsey RNLI Lifeboat Assists Vessel Aground

Betty

Both Selsey Lifeboats had just launched on exercise at 6.58 p.m. on 23rd March 2016 when the UK Coastguard paged the launch authority. They had received an emergency phone call from a man stating that his vessel had run aground off Selsey Bill.

The vessel was a 16-foot fishing boat named 'Betty' and the inshore Lifeboat (ILB) proceeded to Selsey Bill where the local Coastguards had confirmed the vessel was aground. When the ILB arrived on scene a line was passed to the 'Betty' and a tow was established as the vessel had now floated off of the sand bank with the rising tide. The weather on scene was wind westerly force 1 with a smooth sea.

The 'Betty' was out of Northney Marina which is at the top end of Chichester Harbour and so the ILB crew advised the man that it would be better for the vessel to stay at Selsey overnight as he didn’t have navigation lights, radio or any safety equipment. The ILB towed the 'Betty' to the Lifeboat station and secured the vessel to the Lifeboat moorings. The crew then transferred the man to the shore. At 7.35 p.m. the ILB resumed the exercise.

CREW: Dave Lamdin (Helmsman), Rob Archibald and Kristina Dolan (Trainee).