Two lifeboats help in evacuation of 114 from stranded passenger vesselBoth of Poole's lifeboats were called on to help with the evacuation of 114 passengers from a passenger vessel which ran aground in darkness and thick fog on the night of 29 and 30 July 1994.

The 65ft Purbeck Gem had been on an evening cruise to Wareham Quay and was returning in thick fog when she ran aground in a narrow channel in the upper reaches of the harbour.

The station's relief Brede, Foresters Future, was first on the scene at 0246, hav-ing located the casualty by radar in the extremely poor visibility. One of the coxswain's first moves was to ask that the bar be closed and to put a crew member aboard to organise the passengers.

The inshore lifeboat arrived at 0340 and put a first-aider aboard to examine and look after a passenger. He had fallen overboard earlier and was intoxicated and very cold.

The Brede was able to land 48 of the passengers while the ILB stood by and her crew helped with the transfer and general stabilisation of a difficult situation.

Coxswain Steve Vince was able to suggest a local pleasure boat owner who might be able to provide additional carrying capacity to help with the large numbers involved and another passenger vessel, Water Wytch, later arrived to help with the evacuation.

Just before 0700 all of the remaining passengers had been safely disembarked and landed at a nearby Royal Marine base and Purbeck Gem refloated on the rising tide. Foresters Future and Sam and Iris Coles were able to return to their station..