A 17-year old had to be rescued by the Whitstable RNLI lifeboat off Leysdown, Isle of Sheppey when he drifted out to sea on a derelict boat after it had been set afloat by a group of teenagers on Tuesday afternoon, 10 March.
Dover Coastguard requested the launch of the Whitstable lifeboat and Lewisco the station’s B-Class lifeboat launched at 3.45pm and headed to the scene. Unfortunately in the offshore breeze the craft drifted out to sea and began to sink. However the teenager used his mobile phone to alert the coastguard.
Helm Ollie Myhilll said:
“He had done the right thing and called 999 and we via the coastguard were able to keep in communication with him throughout our passage to the incident and, he was able to report sighting us approaching. We located the lad onboard a 10-foot craft 600-yards offshore from Leysdown and brought him onboard the lifeboat and landed him ashore where mum was waiting. There is an obvious safety message here in that persons finding derelict craft on the beach should leave them well alone!”