Crew flee Skegness Inshore Lifeboat after fire starts onboard

Three Skegness Inshore Lifeboat crew members had to abandon ship and swim ashore when a fire started onboard.
Skegness Inshore Lifeboat ANL-160520-151000001Skegness Inshore Lifeboat ANL-160520-151000001
Skegness Inshore Lifeboat ANL-160520-151000001

The RNLI D class inshore lifeboat was called out just after 2am this morning to search for a missing person.

During the search, a fire started onboard the lifeboat and the vessel was abandoned.

A spokesman said: “The three volunteer crew followed emergency procedures, making a Mayday call and then abandoning the lifeboat to swim approximately 200 metres to shore. All three are safe and uninjured.

“The fire spread rapidly and the lifeboat sank. Skegness all-weather lifeboat, Mablethorpe inshore lifeboat and a Coastguard helicopter continued the search for the missing person, who was later found safe and well on land.

“The D class lifeboat is in the process of being safely recovered but is thought to be badly damaged. A replacement lifeboat from the RNLI relief fleet is on its way to Skegness.”

The RNLI has launched an investigation into the incident, which has also been reported to the Marine accident investigation.

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