16th May 2020. The National Coastwatch Institution station at Lee-on-the-Solent assisted in the rescue of two persons within hours of reopening.
Like all of the National Coastwatch Institution stations in the UK, NCI Lee-on-the-Solent had suspended operations due to the Coronavirus pandemic. With the relaxation of government restrictions, NCI stations in England have begun to reopen as from Saturday 16th May.
One of the first stations to open was Lee-on-the-Solent who had only been open a few hours when they spotted a small capsized dinghy about 300 yards in front of the station. The two crew were unable to recover the vessel and were becoming visibly fatigued. The volunteer watchkeeper at Lee-on-the-Solent contacted HM Coastguard and requested the assistance of the lifeboat. After being guided to the casualties, the lifeboat was able to recover the two exhausted crew to safety.
(The photograph is a stock photograph courtesy of the RNLI)