Clacton RNLI assist in rescue of four-year-old boy

August 3rd 2015

A YOUNG boy was pulled from the sea and resuscitated after getting into difficulty off Clacton beach. 

Clacton RNLI�s D-Class lifeboat was called to the beach close to Trafalgar Road at 10.07am on Monday, August 3, following reports three children under the age of ten had got into trouble. 

On arrival, the crew found two of the youngsters were safely out of the water, but a boy aged four was being given CPR after being pulled from the sea by two members of the public. 

Two of them had already been pulled out of the water and were OK, said an RNLI spokesman.  
They were taken to the lifeboat station to wait for their parents to collect them.  
The other child was being given CPR.  
The boy came around on the beach as we arrived and was coughing and spluttering. He was put into the recovery position.  
Helmsman Adrian Rose and crewman Steve Beardsley assisted the ambulance crew in getting the boy to the ambulance and he was rushed to hospital.

Clacton RNLI comes to aid of fisherman who suffered seizure off Clacton

May 25, 2015

LIFEBOAT crews were called to the aid of a fisherman who suffered a seizure off Clacton. 
Clacton RNLI's Atlantic 85 lifeboat was called to the fishing boat, which had three people on board, at 11.55am on Monday. 
The fisherman, who is aged in his 50s and from Brightlingsea, had collapsed in the boat, which was two miles south of Clacton. 
Lifeboat helmsman Tim Sutton said: We were tasked by Thames Coastguard to a medical evacuation. 
He was found face down in the cabin after going down for a sleep. 
We put crewman Darren Simper on board and he carried out an assessment of the man. 
At the same time the RAF Search and Rescue Helicopter from Wattisham, which was already in the air, was called to the scene. 
We got into position below the helicopter and took the winchman onto the lifeboat. 
He then carried out his own assessment of the casualty, who was then winched up to the helicopter.
The casualty was then taken to Colchester General Hospital for further treatment. 
Mr Sutton added: This was a good, quick medical evacuation thanks to our crew and our collages from the rescue helicopter  we hope the casualty makes a quick recovery.
The lifeboat crew, which included helmsman Tim Sutton and crewmen Darren Simper and Steve Beardsley, returned to their Hastings Avenue station by 12.45pm.

Press Officer James Dwan

Clacton RNLI Press Release

Clacton RNLI comes to aid of seasick charity rower off Clacton

May 24, 2015

A SEASICK charity rower was rescued from his boat after falling ill off Brightlingsea.

Clacton RNLI�s Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat was called to the 27ft surf rowing boat at 3.15am on Sunday, May 24.

The rower, aged in his 40s, was part of a four-man team from Bournemouth Surf Boat Club that was planning on rowing 2,500 miles around the British coast in 14 weeks to raise cash for the Royal Marines Charitable Trust and Wessex Cancer Trust.

The team had set off from Boscombe Pier in Dorset on May 2 and was attempting to row up to 30 miles a day.

Helmsman Danny Thatcher said: �Their position was originally given as being about 1.5 miles south of the Knoll Buoy, which is 3.5 miles from the boathouse, but we didn't know they were still rowing.

�We eventually found them approaching the Inner Bench Buoy, off Point Clear.

�The sick rower had been feeling unwell for about an hour and a half.

�He was put on board the lifeboat and was taken to ambulance crews in Brightlingsea.�

He was taken to hospital for further treatment.

"The team is now having a rest and will continue once everyone is refreshed," added Mr Thatcher.

The lifeboat returned to tow the rowing boat and its crew to Brightlingsea.

The lifeboat crew included helmsman Danny Thatcher and crewmen Ray Lynaugh and Richard Wrigley.

Clacton's Atlantic 85 returned to its station, in Hastings Avenue, by 5am.

Press Officer James Dwan

Clacton RNLI lifeboat crews save vulnerable man from the river Colne in Rowhedge

May 23, 2015

VOLUNTEER lifeboat crews saved the life of a vulnerable man who fell from a small boat into the river Colne.

The 45-year-old, from Rowhedge, near Colchester, had taken to the water close to the village's The Anchor pub, in High Street, in the early hours on Saturday, May 23.

But the vulnerable man had fallen out and got stuck in the mud as the tide was coming in.

Clacton RNLI�s Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat was called to the scene at about 12.35am after Thames Coastguard received reports that the vulnerable man had taken to the river.

As the crew made its way to the scene, Mersea Coastguard reported it had spotted the 10ft boat, but that no-one was on board.

Essex Police, Mersea Coastguard and Essex County Fire and Rescue Service searched for the man, who was spotted in the mud on the opposite side of the river.

With the tide on the flood and the water already up to the man's legs, time was of the essence, said Clacton RNLI crewman Joff Strutt.

We arrived minutes later and were guided by torchlight to the man.

Fortunately we managed to pluck him from the mud and into the boat.

While en route to the pontoons at Rowhedge, the crew started to warm the casualty up as he was showing signs of being hypothermic.

Once alongside the pontoon, he was walked up to the ambulance crew who took him to hospital for further treatment.

This was a fantastic team effort by everyone involved, including the coastguard, police and fire service.

Thanks to everyone's hard work, a life has been saved.

The crew also retrieved the boat and returned it to the pontoons, following which the lifeboat returned to its station by 3.30am.

The Clacton RNLI crew included helmsman Tim Dye and crewmen Joff Strutt and Darren Simper.

Press Officer James Dwan

April 7, 2015

 

VOLUNTEER lifeboat crews rescued two amateur fishermen from the sea off Jaywick. after they got into difficulty in a homemade boat.

The small boat was made from thermal insulation boards glued together with silicone adhesive.

Clacton RNLI's D Class inshore lifeboat was launched to the aid of the two men, aged in their late 20s, following an emergency call to Thames Coastguard at 2.20pm on Monday, April 6.

The pair had got into trouble after their oars snapped, which left them unable to make it back to the beach at Jaywick's Martello Beach Holiday Park.

They were found about 200 metres from the beach in their homemade boat, said Clacton RNLI crewman Joff Strutt.

They had been out fishing when their oars snapped leaving them helpless.

The men were taken aboard the lifeboat and checked over before they were taken ashore to Clacton Coastguard for some safety advice.

The men are very lucky that they were spotted or things could have been a lot worse.

Going to sea in homemade boat is certainly one we've never seen before.

The men, both from the Clacton area, were cold following their ordeal, but did not require medical treatment.

Mr Strutt added it is vital that people only sail using the correct equipment.

Neither of the men had lifejackets on and one of them couldn't swim, he said.

It is very important that people use the correct equipment, including a seaworthy boat.

They had made the boat at home and were out fishing in it on Sunday.

They went back out on Monday, but soon the wind and current defeated them by snapping the oars.

After rescuing the pair, the lifeboat returned to collect their fishing equipment. The unseaworthy boat was later destroyed.

The lifeboat crew included helmsman Darren Simper and crewmen Joff Strutt and Steve Beardsley.

At 11:25 yesterday, Saturday 10th January Thames coastguard activated the volunteer crews pagers to launch the D class after receiving reports of an upturned kayak or kite and someone clinging to it approximately half a mile off Carnarvon road, Clacton. Minutes later the D class launched with Joff Strutt at the helm and fellow helmsman Tim Dye acting as crew. As we arrived at the position nothing could be seen, but Clacton Coastguard managed to spot the equipment from an advantage point high up on the seafront. The D class found the equipment approximately 1 and a half miles offshore, but there was concern as no one was found with it. The lifeboat immediately began searching while backup was called from Clacton Atlantic 85 lifeboat and Rescue 125 helicopter from RAF Wattisham as well as shore teams from the lifeboat station assisting Clacton coastguard. 45 minutes into the search, the shore teams found a gentlemen walking along the beach following his kite surfing equipment. The D class headed for the beach to check the casualties condition. After a quick assessment it was confirmed the casualty was ok, so we arranged to meet him back at the Lifeboat Station to recover his equipment.

It transpired he had to release his equipment in a squall that had just passed through, in order to swim back to he shore. He was then following his equipment along the coast to try and recover it but it was being blown out to sea.

The gentleman was quite shocked at the resources that were sent to search for him but at the same time extremely pleased and thankful to know that we would be there if anything ever happened again.

The lifeboats were refuelled and ready for service at 13:00

Jonathen Strutt