The RNLI’s volunteer crew from Barrow Lifeboat Station launched their inshore lifeboat this morning to go to the aid of two people on Foulney Island who were cut off from the mainland by the incoming tide.
The request for assistance was received from HM Coastguard at 11.53am. The crew was paged and the inshore lifeboat, Raymond and Dorothy Billingham, was launched at 12.15pm with Ben Jackson at the helm, and crew Paul Wilcock and Mike Armstrong.
The lifeboat was on the scene within a few minutes of launching and the two people, who were cold and distressed, were picked up by the crew and taken in the lifeboat the short distance to the Roa Island causeway. They were then placed in the care of Furness Coastguard who were in attendance along with other members of the emergency services.With the casualties safe, the lifeboat returned to the boathouse where it arrived at 12.30pm. The boat was then washed down and made ready for the next launch.
The weather at the time of the incident was fine, the sea state was slight, and the wind was north-westerly, Force 3. The high tide at Barrow was due at 12.01pm with a predicted height of 9.2 metres.
For safety advice when visiting the coast, please go to the RNLI’s website at www.rnli.org/safety
