Five Rescued From Drifting Belgium Yacht Near Kent Shipping Lane
Early on Thursday 2 May, at 3:47am, the volunteer lifeboat crew sprang into action. HM Coastguard alerted them to a 12-metre Belgian sailing yacht drifting dangerously close to Broadness, Kent.
Busy Thames Shipping Lane Poses Risk
Thames Commander Andy Colley explained the urgency: “This patch of the River Thames is a busy shipping channel packed with huge cargo vessels. The drifting yacht was a real threat to navigational safety.”
It was unclear if anyone was injured when they were called out. But upon arrival, rescuers found five people safely aboard, anchored dangerously close to the busy shipping lane.
Lifeboat Crew Tows Yacht to Safety
The Gravesend lifeboat crew quickly set up a tow to pull the yacht away from danger. They safely returned the vessel to Gravesend harbour, allowing the crew to inspect and fix any faults.
The Belgian yacht was actually the lead boat of a large flotilla heading towards London, making its sudden drift a potential disaster avoided just in time.
