5 Feb ALB and ILB launched

1340 During force 5–7 winds, a motor cruiser lost engine power and was driven onto the rocks close to the ferry terminal in Poole Harbour. One of Poole lifeboat crew members, who works for Poole harbour Commissioners (PHC), spotted this and informed the station. The station then contacted Portland Coastguard and the inshore lifeboat (ILB) launched.

As the ILB was heading to the scene, two of the occupants from the boat scrambled ashore across the rocks while a third person stayed onboard. Another crew member, also working at PHC, was able to go onboard to assess the damage from the pounding on the rocks. Suspecting that there may be some water ingress, the all-weather lifeboat (ALB) was launched in case there was a need to use the salvage pump.

In choppy seas and with gusting winds, the ILB crew put a line onboard and tried to tow the vessel off but the motorboat’s anchor was trapped. The ALB crew prepared the fenders to go alongside but the ILB was then able to tow the vessel free of the rocks. They continued to tow the vessel into the shelter of the harbour where the ALB secured an alongside tow and took it safely into Poole Quay Boat Haven. The ALB then returned to station at 1450.

While this was going on the ILB was diverted to another call where two people were stranded on their yacht after their dinghy had broken free. The ILB crew took the two people ashore to their vehicle and then carried out a search for the dinghy. Nothing was found and they returned to station at 1500. The dinghy was later found blown ashore near the ASDA superstore.