Whitby RNLI Recover Empty Life Raft

Tuesday, 23 July 2024 14:21

By Matthew Pells

A call to the coastguard on Sunday reported that an empty life raft was floating off the coast of Whitby.

The RNLI crew launched at 10.30am and headed to the location of the raft approximately 7 miles north east of Whitby.

They located the bright orange life raft, which was empty, and recovered it onto their all weather lifeboat, Lois Ivan.

Coxswain Howard Fields said:

‘Many thanks to the crew aboard yacht 'Gaffer' who spotted the life raft, reported it and remained alongside until we were on scene to recover it.

They did the right thing by reporting it, as not only can debris in the water be dangerous to other vessels, but the nature of the object would have been a cause for concern for other boat users.

We spotted the name of the boat that the life raft had come from, and with the Coastguard were able to establish that no one was in danger and it had come off a wind farm support vessel.'

The life raft will remain at Whitby Lifeboat station to be collected.

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