Launches : Atlantic 85 twice and D-Class twice
Dates : Saturday June 1 & Sunday June 2
Launched at : 17:15 and 23:15
Returned at : 18:30 & 23:40
Weather : Fine and clear with F4 N and NE winds
On Saturday afternoon a child went missing at W Wittering beach but was found safe on the beach almost as soon as the D-class boat was launched. Not long later that afternoon a small speedboat was seen to be drifting to the West off the Witterings beach. The Atlantic 85 went to search and after a while found the casualty just inside the harbour mouth. The boats engine had fallen off but the crew had recovered it as the control cables stopped it from sinking. A crew member was put on board and agreed that the engine was not going to function! The lifeboat helm decided to tow the vessel back to Itchenor where it was handed over to the Selsey Coastguard.
On the Sunday late at night the Coastguard requested a launch to a person in Mill Rythe Creek up to their chest in the water. The Atlantic 85 was launched but due to the state of the tide and the nature of the creek the D-Class also went to assist in case the person was in shallow water. Neither boat however was needed as the Hayling Coastguard reported to us that the casualty was now ashore and in an ambulance so both boats returned to the station.
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