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Calshot's All Weather and Inshore lifeboats were both on service throughout the night last Saturday/Sunday 26/ 27th July.
The Coastguard requested the All Weather Lifeboat ‘Sarah Emily Harrop’ launch at 10 minutes after midnight early on Sunday morning to attend to a motor boat with 6 people on board which had suffered engine failure in the North Channel close to the Bramble Bank in mid Solent.
As the main lifeboat was launching a second launch request was received for the Inshore Lifeboat '248 Squadron RAF' to attend the Itchen Bridge, Southampton, were a potential suicide jumper had been reported.
After dealing with the motor boat the All Weather Lifeboat was then re-tasked to assist a 38 ft sailing boat. The yatch had lost use of its engine three days previously whilst off Ushant, France, and was attempting to sail back to Hamble. However manoeuvring under sail in the confines of Southampton Water was proving difficult and a tow into the Hamble was appreciated by the tired crew.
The night was not over yet for the RNLI crew as they then joined the Inshore Lifeboat at the Itchen bridge before both boats were stood down and returned to the station at 05:30 am.
The busy weekend for the Calshot lifeboats continued into Monday, 28th, when two further vessels needed towing assistance including a yatch in Stanswood Bay that had a fishing pots caught on its rudder. So far in 2008 the Calshot lifeboats have been launched on service 75 times making it on course to be the busiest year yet for the station.
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