Speedboat crew rescued twice in 10 days

The five young men on their speedboat had already received safety advice from coastguards before having to be rescued again.

Portsmouth RNLI Lifeboat Norma T called to rescue speedboat
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Five young men on a 14 foot speedboat had to be rescued after running out of fuel in Langstone Harbour near Portsmouth.

This came just 10 days after they received safety advice from the Hillhead Coastguard Rescue Team after an engine fire on board.

On 5 June, both the team from Hillhead and the Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Service were tasked to assist the speedboat following an engine fire.

One of the men on board had issued a pan-pan as the boat was drifting. The crew then informed the Solent coastguard that the fire was out and that they had organised their own tow back to shore.

The lifeboat and the coastguard team eventually located the speedboat being loaded onto a trailer at the hovercraft slipway at Lee-on-the-Solent.

The Hillhead Coastguard Rescue Team then provided safety advice to the men. None of them were wearing life jackets.

On 15 June, the emergency services were again contacted after the speedboat ran out of fuel.

The RNLI Portsmouth Lifeboat, Norma T diverted from exercise to assist at around 8pm.

Direction Finding VHF radio equipment (DF) was used to locate the speedboat on the east side of Langstone Harbour.

The RNLI volunteer crew found two of the five men waist deep in water,  holding their 14ft boat in the shallows near the beach.

A tow was established while one of the young men was assessed for hypothermia, as he had been complaining of being cold.

Once at Broadmarch slipway, a waiting coastguard rescue unit was able to assist the man further. His condition improved quickly and an ambulance wasn’t deemed necessary.

RNLI Portsmouth said that following the rescue it transpired that the vessel and crew had launched earlier in the evening and ran out of fuel while navigating down the harbour.

This left them completely adrift in the failing light.

After luckily reaching the shoreline, one of the speedboat’s crew used a handheld VHF to call for assistance.

Aaron Gent of RNLI Portsmouth Lifeboat Station said: “We always urge people to ensure they are adequately prepared to go afloat, and if they are unsure to seek assistance or training first.”

“Boaters should check local conditions and tide times, inform a friend of their plans and have relevant safety equipment to signal for assistance,” he continued.

“Knowing how to use a VHF radio is a very important part of boating, as unlike a mobile phone, RNLI Lifeboats can detect and track signals,” concluded Gent.