An RNLI hovercraft had to be rescued after it got stuck on a wooden groyne during the Southend airshow.
An RNLI hovercraft had to be rescued after it got stuck on a wooden groyne during the Southend airshow. Vera Ravine and its crew of three were responding to an emergency call when the incident happened late on Monday afternoon.
“The hovercraft was on the beach by the Arches cafes to provide air show cover”, said an RNLI spokesman, “but as it was launching it got caught on the groyne”. Crews from Essex County Fire & Rescue Service (ECFRS) were called to free the vessel which was stranded about 30 yards from shore near Western Esplanade.
Vera Ravine was released by 6.45pm. “We used a range of specialist hydraulic lifting equipment and two, two tonne airbags at the scene and managed to lift the vessel free of the groyne with some great teamwork and inter-agency co-operation”, said the ECFRS Incident Commander.
Photo credit: Essex County Fire and Rescue Service
