Barrow Lifeboat Station’s volunteer crew launched their Inshore lifeboat this afternoon to go to the aid of two jet-skiers whose craft had both got into difficulties near Piel Island.
The request for assistance came from the HM Coastguard base in Holyhead, at 3:25pm. The information received was that two jet-skiers had made the passage across Morecambe Bay to Barrow from Knott End, near Fleetwood, and that both had broken down. The position of the casualties was given as east of Piel Island.
The crew was paged and the inshore lifeboat, ‘Vision of Tamworth’, was launched at 3:45pm with Andy Baxter at the helm, assisted by two crew.
The lifeboat proceeded at full speed and located the casualties approximately one and a half miles east south-east of the lifeboat station. It transpired that one of the jet-skis had broken down and the other had a rope around it’s impeller. The two craft were taken under tow by the lifeboat and brought back safely to the jetty at the Roa Island Boat Club. Both jet-ski drivers, who were from the Bolton area, were uninjured.
The lifeboat crew managed to return both jet-skis to normal operation and the riders took the decision to return to Knott End on board their craft.
The lifeboat returned to the boathouse at 5-35pm where it was cleaned and made ready for the next launch.
The wind at the time of the incident was south-westerly, Force 1, and the high tide occurred at 4-18pm with a height of 7.8 metres.
With the forecast of more good weather to come and the start of the school holidays, a spokesman for Barrow Lifeboat Station said: “We want people to enjoy their visits to the coast and out on the water but we want to take the opportunity to remind everyone of the need to also respect the water.
“People should always be aware of the tides and the weather and if using any equipment at sea to ensure that it is in good condition and to always wear a life-jacket”.
