LIFEBOAT crews were called into action to assist a man who had been knocked over and fell into a yacht’s cockpit, rendering him unable to move.

Harwich RNLI crews were called to assist the 56-year-old man aboard a 32ft yacht off Shotley Peninsula at 4.36pm on Friday, July 21.

Upon receiving the call, the station’s inshore lifeboat responded and reached the yacht.

The crew then undertook the task of escorting the yacht back to the lifeboat station, where further assistance could be provided.

A spokesman for Harwich RNLI said: “During this transit, the RNLI crew onboard the ILB, including one off-duty paramedic among them, administered initial care to the casualty.

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“Upon arrival at the lifeboat station, a coordinated effort was undertaken by multiple agencies to ensure the safe extraction of the casualty and his subsequent transfer to an awaiting ambulance.

“The Coastguard, Coastguard Rescue Team and the East of England Ambulance Service collaborated closely with the RNLI in this operation.”

Once the ambulance crew arrived on the scene, care was taken to immobilise the injured individual properly before lifting him clear of the yacht.

This was done to prevent any further possible harm to the casualty during the extraction process.

Only after ensuring the casualty's safety and stabilisation was he carefully transferred to the ambulance for further medical attention and transport to a healthcare facility.

The Harwich RNLI spokesman added: “This operation exemplifies the significance of effective teamwork and coordination among various emergency response agencies.

“The successful outcome of the mission was a result of the seamless cooperation between the Harwich RNLI volunteer crew, the Coastguard, and the East of England Ambulance Service.

“Their collective efforts ensured that the casualty received timely and appropriate care, demonstrating their dedication to saving lives at sea.”

This was the second time this week Harwich RNLI crews were called out to assist in a rescue.

For more information on Harwich RNLI and the work it is doing to keep residents safe visit bit.ly/3Y3nuXA.

To donate to the charity ensuring it can provide life-saving equipment and training to its crew members visit rnli.org/support-us/give-money/donate.