Three boys rescued by Hayling Island lifeboat crews after fishing vessel breaks down at night near Chichester
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Three boys who were stranded on a broken boat at night were rescued by lifeboat crews.
Crews from the Hayling Island lifeboat station were deployed to save the 14-year-olds last Thursday (June 19). Volunteer personnel were called by the coastguard to the outside of Chichester Harbour at 10pm.
A statement on the Hayling Island station’s social media said the teenagers had gone fishing late at night but ran into problems when the engine of their Dory - a small shallow draft boat - had failed. Darkness closed in on them and the boat started drifting on the tide. One of the boys rang their dad to sound the alarm. Crews managed to reach the trio and get them safely back to their parents.
Hayling Island RNLI said: “Arriving on scene, the lifeboat crew transferred the three boys onto the lifeboat and took the Dory in an alongside tow. They then proceeded to Bosham, where the three sets of parents were waiting.
“They handed the Dory and boys into the safe hands of their parents then returned to the station. They washed down and prepared the boat for the next service, and headed home just before 1am.”