Thanks to John for this latest update from Bembridge RNLI. Ed
Whilst enjoying a drink at the Driftwood Beach Bar in Sandown Bay on Sunday afternoon, the owner of the speedboat ‘Volcanic Ash’ was dismayed to see a man swim out to his moored boat and then climb on board start the engine and drive the boat towards Whitecliff bay.
Having alerted the police and coastguard, the boat was eventually found by the police boat ‘Commander’ in the region of the ‘Blackrock’ area of Bembridge with no one on board and a lifejacket in the sea.
A multi-agency search was initiated, with both of the Bembridge lifeboats launching at 6.10pm to assist the police, coastguard search teams and the Sandown and Shanklin inshore lifeboat.
Not long afterwards, the police apprehended the suspected man on the land and the lifeboats were returned to station.
“A strange end to the day”
Commenting afterwards, Coxswain Steve Simmonds of the Bembridge Lifeboat said,
“It was a bit of a strange end to the day, fortunately there are not that many boats stolen on the Island, certainly not in broad day light whilst the owner is watching.”
Image: © Bembridge RNLI
