Another busy day for Lyme RNLI lifeboat crew

A fishing boat in distress, a drifting dinghy and fears a woman had been swept out to sea meant a busy Saturday (August 8) for Lyme Regis Lifeboat crew.

The RNLI volunteers’ first call out was at 9.15am when a fishing boat was reported to be taking on water off Seaton.

One lifeboat crew member boarded the 17 foot vessel, the Rosie Lee, with a salvage pump.

Finally, the fishing boat, with two people aboard, was able to sail under its own power and was escorted by the lifeboat crew to the safety of Lyme Regis harbour, arriving at 11.20am.

Just as the crew arrived back they were alerted to two men drifting on an inflatable dinghy three miles offshore at Abbotsbury.

The men were in danger, drifting on a strong current, and were taken on board the lifeboat with their dinghy. They were safe and well and taken by the lifeboat to Abbotsbury where they were met by local coastguards.

Then as the crew returned to harbour they were called out again - to reports of a woman possibly in difficulty on an inflatable off Freshwater Beach.

But the caller, who first rang the lifeboat station, did not follow up with a call to the coastguards.

The lifeboat crew found no trace of the woman and a search was called off. This call was recorded as a false alarm with good intent.