[T]he volunteer crew from the RNLI’s Barrow station were requested to launch their inshore lifeboat earlier today, Friday 23rd June 2017, to assist in the rescue of a windsurfer off the Furness coast.
The request to launch the lifeboat came from HM Coastguard at Holyhead at 11:45am this morning.
The information received was that a windsurfer was in difficulty in the water between Roa Island and Foulney Island and that the person involved was unable to make it back to the shoreline due to the wind and sea conditions at the time.
The inshore lifeboat crew were paged and the ‘Vision of Tamworth’ was launched at 11:50am with Ben Jackson, Andy Baxter and Matthew Tippins on board. A further six members of the crew responded to the call and remained at the lifeboat station in case their assistance was required.
The ‘Vision of Tamworth’ was quickly on the scene along with a dingy which had also gone to assist the windsurfer. The lifeboat crew were able to help ensure that the casualty was taken safely aboard the dingy before proceeding to recover the board and sail.
With the casualty and equipment safe, the lifeboat returned to the boathouse at 12:25pm where it was made ready for the next launch.
The wind at the time of the incident was westerly Force 6 and the high tide had just passed at 11:24am.
