Selsey Lifeboat Station - Launches
26th May 2015
Selsey RNLI Inshore Lifeboat Aids Sailing Boat After Fire Aboard
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The 26-foot sailing boat 'Bluebell' with two adults on board were 1½ miles south west of Selsey Bill and had suffered a small electrical fire.
The volunteer crew were paged at 1.07 p.m. on 26th May 2015 after the skipper of the 'Bluebell' phoned the emergency services after his VHF radio failed due to the fire. He had managed to put the fire out using a fire blanket and sea water but sustained a burn to his hand.
The Inshore Lifeboat launched at 1.11 p.m. and proceeded to the 'Bluebell', arriving on scene at 1.20 p.m. A first-aider from the Lifeboat was transferred to the casualty to assess the burns and confirmed that no evacuation was required. The weather on scene was wind north west force 3, sea state smooth in sunshine.
The 'Bluebell' had left Brighton bound for Portsmouth but was making no headway against the tide and wind and so the helmsman of the Lifeboat decided to tow the vessel towards Chichester Harbour. Solent Coastguard arranged for the Chichester Harbour patrol boat to rendezvous with the Lifeboat and casualty 2 miles south east of the Chichester bar beacon to transfer the tow.
This was completed at 2.29 p.m. and the Lifeboat was released to return to Selsey, arriving back at 2.47 p.m. and rehousing straight away.
CREW: John Reeves (Helmsman), Dave Lamdin and Gary Pearce.