Lifeboat to rescue of Royal Navy

THE Newhaven Lifeboat rescued two Royal Navy seamen when their craft capsized in gale force winds gusting up to 75 mph.

The Lifeboat had just launched at 4.45pm on Monday to help an ill fisherman aboard the Mary Anne when it received a Mayday distress call.

In Force Eight winds a Royal Navy inflatable patrol boat Sea Rider and its two-man crew had capsized a mile south of Brighton Marina.

The boat had entered the marina to land the men, who had been working on board the minesweeper HMS Quorn. On their departure, the weather took a dramatic change for the worse and the wind caught under the bow of the boat and flipped it over.

As the fisherman's condition on board the Mary Anne was not life threatening the Newhaven crew sped to the aid of the Navy vessel.

Lifeboat spokeswoman Pat Johns said: 'The crew managed to pull themselves on to the upturned boat until the Newhaven Lifeboat arrived and lifted them on board the Lifeboat.

'We were then re-diverted back to the Mary Anne and on arriving on scene the weather conditions were so bad that it was safer for the Lee on Solent Coastguard helicopter India Juliet to lift the sick seaman whilst the Lifeboat stood by.'

However, after the Lifeboat had made its way back to Newhaven with the Navy crewmen the fishing boat Mary Anne also began experiencing difficulties in the rough seas. The Lifeboat launched again and escorted it to the safety of Newhaven Harbour.

The Navy crewmen spent the night in Newhaven and rejoined HMS Quorn at Shoreham on Tuesday.