20 August 2012
Dover lifeboat launched to assist drifting diver....
Dover’s RNLI volunteers were called out earlier this week when a man was spotted drifting near the end of Dover’s Admiralty Pier.
The man was part of a group diving from the shore at Shakespeare Beach who had been caught out by the strong tidal run and was being taken out to sea. At just before 2.00pm Dover Coastguard requested the lifeboat launch.
Relief lifeboat, ‘The Duke of Kent’ on temporary duty at Dover, was soon underway and heading to the area where the man had been sighted which was near the port’s western entrance. A Dover Harbour Board patrol launch was also aware of the man’s predicament. The launch located the man just before the lifeboat arrived and took him to the lifeboat station as there was now concern that other divers in the group might also be in difficulties.
Whilst the lifeboat began to carefully search the area close to the pier it was found that all the other divers had successfully and safely returned to the beach. The lifeboat was then stood down. Fortunately the diver’s incident did not result in him requiring medical assistance.
Dover Lifeboat Operations Manager, Roy Couzens said: “This group were well equipped and prepared so it just goes to show how the conditions can catch anyone out and the importance for divers to have someone ashore who knows when and who to call for help.”
Report above by Martin Collins. Picture by Dan Keen.
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PORT OF DOVER welcomes MYFERRYLINK
The Port of Dover welcomed the return of vessels ‘Berlioz’, ‘Rodin’ and ‘Nord-pas de Calais’ back to Dover yesterday monday as part of a brand new service to Calais from the newly formed operator MYFERRYLINK (MFL).
Sister-ships ‘Berlioz’ and ‘Rodin’ started the service on Monday providing four crossings a day to France. The ‘Nord-Pas-de Calais’ will return to service later on this year.
In a ceremony at the Port monday morning, Tim Waggott (left), Director of Business and Support Services at the Port of Dover presented Jean-Michel Giguet, Chief Executive of MYFERRYLINK with a plaque in honour of the inaugural channel crossings of the ‘Berlioz’ and ‘Rodin’ under the new MFL brand.
Tim Waggott, Director of Business and Support Services said; “We warmly welcome the three vessels back to the Port of Dover and congratulate MYFERRYLINK on their new venture. They arrive at a time of major infrastructure investment within the Port as we push forward an exciting £11.5m Traffic Management Improvement project that will change the face of the Port and provide extra capacity for freight and tourist vehicles. It means we can continue to offer a first-class service to meet the needs of our customers.”
Monday's Report:The new ferry service called MyFerryLink is due to kick into gear today monday so expect to see their exciting ships in Dover. Here we have pictures of them languishing in Calais on sunday waiting to launch the new service. All the ticket booths and lanes and so on are marked up and all systems are ready to roll. The ships will look familiar to one and all.. as they are the very attractive duo the Rodin and the Berlioz..the names remain the same from their Seafrance days but of course the Seafrance prefix is gone and no longer to be seen. The ships are now owned by Eurotunnel but the day to day service will be manned by former Seafrance staff under their new name so all are experienced and ready for the new challenge.
The top shot shows the Berlioz looking clean and fresh and sporting her new colour scheme beside Calais 9 on sunday. Across the harbour in the picture left we have the Rodin, all flagged up and ready to go. The ships all looked quiet and calm with no sign of activity but this is due to change today bigtime. We will aim to get pictures of the arrival in Dover. Good luck to the new ferry service.
Bon chance!
See also the thread in our Forum..more pictures there...
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