News release
The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea
27/07/2008	Rye Harbour 033/2008

Busy afternoon for Rye Harbour Lifeboat.

Rye Harbour RNLI relief Lifeboat B722 'Beatrice Dorothy' launched on service at 3.38 pm to the cabin cruiser 'Son Et-Lumiere' which had broken down - suffering fuel problems and dragging her anchor east of the KitKat cafe at Camber.

Lifeboat B722 arrived at the casualty at 3.40 pm and took the casualty in tow. Whilst heading back to Rye Harbour the crew of the Lifeboat observed a capsized 3.5 metre sailing catamaran with a single occupant having difficulty righting the boat, Dover Coastguard tasked Rye Harbour RNLI Lifeboat to give priority and assist the capsized catamaran. The Lifeboat anchored 'Son Et-Lumiere' and dropped the tow, going to the assistance of the capsized boat.

When they arrived at the catamaran, assistance was given to the sailor to right the catamaran. When satisfied that the sailor and catamaran were ok, the Lifeboat returned to resume the tow of 'Son Et-Lumiere'. 'Son Et-Lumiere' was taken back in tow at 4 pm and making way to Rye Harbour.

At 4.16 pm Dover Coastguard tasked Rye Harbour Lifeboat to give immediate assistance to five teenage swimmers at the entrance to Rye Harbour, three of whom were suffering from exhaustion. The five lads were recovered into the lifeboat and then landed safely ashore at Camber Sands at 4.25 pm.

'Son Et-Lumiere' was taken back in tow at 4.30 pm, and made way to Rye Harbour. At 5 pm 'Son Et-Lumiere' was placed on her moorings at Rye. Lifeboat B722 returned to station at 5.10 pm

Tony Edwards, RNLI Deputy Launching Authority at Rye Harbour lifeboat station said: ‘Anyone going to sea should carry some means of calling for help. Mobile phones are not an effective means of calling for help for a number of reasons: they are not waterproof, poor signal coverage (black spots), only one person can hear your call for help (if you have a signal) to list but a few.

The RNLI - the charity that saves lives at sea, needs your support to train and equip our volunteer lifeboat crews and lifeguards.’

Notes to editors

• Photo: Son Et-Lumiere being towed back to her moorings at Rye
• Photo: Son Et-Lumiere being towed back to her moorings at Rye
• Rye Harbour lifeboat station has been operating since 1966. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to www.rnli.org.uk/ryeharbour

RNLI media contacts
For more information please contact Steve Tollett, RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on news@ryeharbourlifeboat.co.uk or Tim Ash, Deputy Media Relations Manager South East and London on 07785 296252 or tash@rnli.org.uk or contact RNLI Public Relations on 01202 336789

RNLI online
For more information on the RNLI please visit www.rnli.org.uk. News releases and other media resources, including RSS feeds, downloadable photos and video, are available at the RNLI Press Centre www.rnli.org.uk/press

Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates over 230 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and has more than 100 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824 its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 137,000 lives. The RNLI is a charity registered in England, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland.