Two people rowing in Portsmouth waters on inflatables brought to safety as lifeboat service issues guidance

Emergency crews had to respond to two separate instances where people on inflatable boats got into difficulty in the sea.

Personnel from the Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Service (GAFIRS) had to respond to different events on Sunday afternoon (May 31). They were initially called into action by HM Coastguard at 1.56pm.

In a social media statement, GAFIRS said they were requested for “immediate assistance to a person in an inflatable being swept out to sea near the Hayling Island beachfront amusement park”. After getting to the scene within 12 minutes, the individual was found to have received assistance from a passing kite surfer.

“The individual had lost an oar and was ill-equipped for the conditions, having no flotation device with them,” GAFIRS said. “The crew carried out a welfare check before handing over to Portsmouth Coastguard Rescue Team, who had arrived on scene. Portsmouth RNLI’s D Class lifeboat was also tasked and arrived shortly after GAFIRS had made contact with the casualty.”

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Lifeboat crews then noticed another individual struggling to control an inflatable at sea nearby. “A precautionary check was carried out to ensure they were safe and did not require assistance,” GAFIRS added.

“The individual advised they were okay, but the crew provided some safety advice and remained nearby until they were seen to return safely to shore. As the weather improves and more people head to the coast, we would like to remind everyone to plan ahead, wear suitable flotation devices when using inflatables on the water, and be aware of offshore winds and tidal conditions, which can quickly carry people away from shore.

“If you see someone in difficulty at the coast, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.”