A dinghy sailor was rescued by a lifeboat crew in Burnham-On-Sea on Thursday afternoon (June 4th) after getting into difficulty in the River Brue.
Burnham-On-Sea Coastguards and an RNLI lifeboat were called out at 2.35pm when the man was spotted in difficulty, unable to row his inflatable dinghy against the offshore wind and falling tide in the mouth of the river estuary.
The crew quickly reached the dinghy and found the man onboard was an experienced local who had been caught unawares while carrying out work on his yacht’s mooring.
The D-Class lifeboat transported him and his dinghy back to the beach next to Burnham’s jetty.
He thanked the crew for their prompt assistance and made arrangements to transport his dinghy back to Burnham Sailing Club compound.
Helmsman Nick Prout said: “It just goes to show, even the most experienced water users can need help sometimes. We were happy to assist.”
The incident came less than 24 hours after the start of an appeal to raise funds for the lifeboat’s replacement.
Lifeboat spokesman Mike Lang said: “Our crew are ready to launch 24 hours a day, and will spare no effort to attend when someone is in trouble. Anyone can be a lifeboat volunteer, it is absorbing and can result in life-long friendships, training is provided, and you do not need any previous experience. We do need more volunteers at present and anyone interested can call 07889 815860.”
The BARB hovercraft crew were also put on standby during the incident to provide further assistance if needed.
Pictured: The dinghy sailor being taken back to the shore during Thursday’s incident in Burnham (photos Mike Lang)
