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Burnham
RNLI Home Page > Burnham
RNLI Launch Archive
June
5, 2004
Both lifeboats launched in rescue
of man overboard
 Burnham-On-Sea
RNLI's D class lifeboat (pictured right) was launched at approximately
18:55 hrs on June 5th - followed shortly afterwards by the Staines
Whitfield, an Atlantic 75, at 19:05 hrs - to assist in the recovery
of a 'man overboard' from an anchored 17ft white yacht.
The
yacht's owner, a 50 year old male, had apparently slipped over
the side while recovering his anchor, and was unable to clamber
back on board.
The
location of the rescue was over the Gore Sands, approximately
one mile out, in line with Berrow Church.
The Coastguard had earlier received a message from Burnham Sailing
Club saying the sailing vessel 'Ruby' had been out sailing with
another vessel and was long overdue to return to her mooring.
On
arrival, the Burnham-On-Sea RNLI crew found the white yacht anchored,
on the extreme westerly side of Gore Sands, with no visual sign
of a person on board. They circled the vessel and found the yachtsman
nearby in the water, holding a lifeline from the yacht and wearing
an undone lifejacket.
He
was said to be exhausted, drowsy, hypothermic and had swallowed
a large volume of sea water. The yachtsman had been sailing on
his own and had accidentally fallen overboard while trying to
lift the anchor. He said he had been in the water for the best
part of an hour.
The
man was wrapped in a survival bag and put in the recovery position
while the lifeboat crew kept him awake by talking to him. They
requested an ambulance meet them at the Burnham-On-Sea slipway.
On arrival, the ambulance took him to the Casualty department
of Weston General Hospital where he was making a full recovery.
The
crew of the Staines Whitfield recovered the yacht and aided its
recovery to Burnham-on-Sea Sailing Club.
Back
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How
To Get Involved with Burnham-On-Sea RNLI
Please contact the Burnham-On-Sea RNLI Lifeboat
Operations Manager Martin
Cox or telephone Burnham-On-Sea RNLI's Lifeboat Administration
Officer, Clare Rundle, on 01278 781123.
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