Gravesend save four people from River Thames
20/10/2009
Gravesend crew members RNLI have been praised for their teamwork in saving four people who were plunged into the River Thames on Saturday evening after their dinghy capsized.
The four had spent the day sailing in a yacht, and were making their way to shore in their 9ft dinghy when they got into difficulty and capsized.
Gravesend crew launched their Atlantic 85 lifeboat at 7.11pm. They had received reports of shouts for help, which were audible from the shore by Tilbury Docks, near Thurrock Yacht Club.
The lifeboat arrived on scene 6 minutes later to find one man stuck in mud up to his knees on the shoreline, and the 9ft plastic dinghy sinking nearby. Crew Member Peter Birthright describes the rescue: ‘It was dark when we arrived on scene. We instructed the man in the mud not to move and he pointed across the water, telling us his friends were still in the river.
‘My fellow crew member, Tina Smith, heard cries for help from a man and a woman half in the water and clinging to a buoy. They had been immersed for around 20 minutes and were very cold and frightened.’
Peter said the couple reported there was a fourth person unaccounted for, and again the crew set off in search: ‘We were passing a yacht when we saw another face above the water, also clinging to a buoy. We pulled her aboard and wrapped all three in thermal blankets. We then returned to the original casualty and used ropes to pull him from the mud, before taking all four back to the causeway of the nearby Thurrock Yacht Club.’
All four were then transferred to an ambulance and taken to Basildon Hospital. According to the crew, all four were in shock and were hypothermic after being submerged in the icy waters of the river. Fortunately, they had taken the basic precaution of wearing lifejackets. This and the quick action of the crew saved their lives.
