It wasn’t just the big ship near The Needles that was affected by low tides yesterday. Michaela from Ryde Inshore Rescue tells us of other rescues. Ed
The low tides on Sunday afternoon kept Ryde Inshore Rescue busy patrolling the large sand bank which generally causes a lot of trouble to those unfamiliar with it.
Most vessels did well to avoid the sands but just as Ryde Rescue 2 were coming in to recover, wash down and go home at the end of the watch a 6m RIB passed them at high speed and ploughed into the sandbank.
Ryde Rescue 2 were quickly on scene and after ascertaining that there was no hull damage; just a chunk missing out of their propeller, towed them off the bank before the sands were completely exposed and they would be stuck there.
No-one injured
The casualty vessel had four persons on board and despite hitting the bank at speed no-one sustained any injuries.
Unfortunately the vessel didn’t fare so well and suffered engine failure, requiring a tow back to Hamble Marina. With the strong tides Ryde Rescue 1 launched and took over the tow towards the Southampton waters where they handed the casualty over to Hamble Rescue, another independent lifeboat station.
