Three people forced to spend night on stranded boat after running aground

Reedham Ferry, pictured by day. Picture: James Bass (Image: Archant Norfolk © 2014)

The Broads’ rescue team, alongside Gorleston coastguard, responded to a 999 call just before 10pm on Monday to help a leisure craft which had run aground near Great Yarmouth.

Due to high tides and flooding, the team completed a challenging launch from Reedham Ferry along the River Yare and made their way to the panicked boaters.

Coxswain Daniel Hurd said: “We couldn’t even use a slipway to launch the boat, but had to do it off the side of the bank due to limited access.

“The people who were trapped were trying to get back from Yarmouth when strong winds pushed them to the side of the river where the water was really shallow.

“They got stuck with just one foot of water beneath them, and it was clear we weren’t going to be able to dislodge them there and then that evening. It’d have been too much of a challenge.

“Instead, we made sure they were safe and well and then secured the boat via a mud anchor so it wouldn’t tow away in the night. We had to leave them there until this morning when their boat could be released.

He added: “It was a a real difficulty to launch the lifeboat, and a difficult spot for us to reach in the first place.

“Reedham Ferry was supposed to close at 10pm, but kept the gates open until 11 to make our job easier. It was a real team effort.

“This was an accident, pure and simple, but we’d warn all boaters to make sure they’re well on their way home by nightfall, and should always stay clear of markers indicating shallow water along the waterways.”

Even though there was flooding and high tides in the waterways, Mr Hurd said it would still be perfectly possible to run aground.

From Thursday, the Broads’ Authority has specified that nobody should be visiting in light of the November national lockdown.