Two people rescued after dinghy capsized off coast

Two people were rescued after a dinghy capsized at the entrance to Burnham Overy Staithe harbour in north Norfolk.

Humber Coastguard paged Wells Lifeboat to reports that a dinghy with two persons onboard had capsized and was in difficulties being towed by a support craft.

The inshore lifeboat was paged at 9.35am on Saturday, March 14 and launched outside the boathouse and proceeded directly to the harbour.

A spokesman for Wells lifeboat said: 'On arrival, the lifeboat took the two persons onboard and placed a member of the lifeboat crew on board the dinghy, which was heavily waterlogged and barely floating above the water level.

'The lifeboat commenced the tow back to Burnham Overy Staithe. The tide was starting to ebb fast and, with the boat heavily laden with water, this made progress difficult.

'It was decided to leave the boat on the adjacent beach and take the casualties to the staithe as they were starting to become very cold. The lifeboat landed the casualties safely into the care of the waiting coastguards who took them back to their local accommodation.

'The lifeboat then returned to the dinghy, which was well up the beach on the ebbing tide, and the crew bailed it out and secured it with an anchor for recovery on the following morning's high tide. With the dinghy securely anchored, the lifeboat left the scene and returned to the Wells boathouse, arriving at 11.55am.'