The UK Coastguard asked for GAFIRS's help after two fishermen were stranded in Portsmouth Harbour and one was in need of medical assistance

Gosport & Fareham Inshore Rescue Service (GAFIRS) was alerted by the Coastguard at 0733 on Wednesday morning (15 November) after a fishing vessel was stranded in Portsmouth Harbour and one of the two fishermen was without his medication for an existing condition.

GAFIRS was soon on the scene in the harbour where one of the service’s volunteer paramedic-trained lifeboat crewmen could assess the fisherman.

GAFIRS senior helm Brian Pack said: “We soon located the vessel in the Harbour – thanks to its very distinctive colours. Our paramedic crewmen checked one of them over and when it was confirmed they were both safe and well, we towed their vessel back to Gosport.”

Continues below…

GAFIRS lifeboat towed the 19ft fishing vessel to Gosport Marina where crew helped get the craft going. Once running again, the boat was soon on its way back to its home berth at Stamshaw. GAFIRS lifeboat escorted them partly along the way until they assessed the craft no longer needed assistance.

The rescue, which lasted two hours, was the 90th of the year for GAFIRS.