Double rescue

THE RNLI's Selsey lifeboat was launched twice within 36 hours '“ to rescue the same boat.
The Selsey lifeboat appraoches the General Six Picture: RNLI/Max GilliganThe Selsey lifeboat appraoches the General Six Picture: RNLI/Max Gilligan
The Selsey lifeboat appraoches the General Six Picture: RNLI/Max Gilligan

On Saturday the three crew on the tug boat General Six reported engine failure and that they had been aground at one stage and suffered water ingress.

The General Six had no radio only mobile phones so the Coastguard scrambled the rescue helicopter to find it, and in turn the helicopter crew said a lifeboat would be needed because the tug weighed 50 tons. The lifeboat launched at 1.42pm on Saturday and towed the tug into Littlehampton harbour, where it was berthed at 3.50pm. Selsey RNLI had towed the same vessel into Chichester harbour at 5.15am on Friday.