| UK. Yarmouth Coastguard coordinates assistance to family trapped under bridge on hire boat |
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| Thursday, 16 February 2006 | |
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Coatguard news: At midday today, Broads Tours Hire Company contacted Yarmouth Coastguard reporting that one of their Broads Hire Craft the 'Fair Encounter' had become wedged under the Vauxhall Bridge on a rising tide on the River Bure, in Great Yarmouth. Onboard the hire vessel were a family of 4 including a boy of 11 and girl of 3 and a half years, from Bexley in Kent. Yarmouth Coastguard immediately called the Gorlestone Coastguard rescue team, the Yarmouth Coastguard sector manager, Gorlestone RNLI inshore lifeboat and Norfolk fire and rescue service. With all units on scene, Gorlestone RNLI inshore lifeboat went under the bridge and very skilfully manoeuvred the cruiser from under the superstructure, whilst leaving the occupants onboard. They then took the cruiser to a safe mooring, none of the occupants onboard were hurt during the incident. The occupants explained that they been trying to read a bridge height indicator post, but had been unexpectedly carried under the bridge by a strong flood tide. Mario Siano, Yarmouth Coastguard Watch Manager, said: "Hire cruisers are often caught out by strong tides in the area, and becoming stuck under a bridge puts them under great strain that could severely damage and cause them to break up in the strong tides encountered in the area. Luckily there was a happy conclusion to this incident due to the skills of the Gorlestone RNLI inshore lifeboat crew. |
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| Last Updated ( Thursday, 16 February 2006 ) |
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