Both of Weymouth RNLI lifeboats were launched shortly before midnight on Sunday 25th July following reports of an overdue dingy sailor who had launched into Portland Harbour.
Arriving on scene at 00.15am on Monday 26th an intensive search of Portland Harbour was carried out, with the Coastguard carrying out a shoreline search. The search continued until 1.40am with nothing found. The CCTV from Portland Port was checked, and it was confirmed that the Laser dingy had left the harbour and not returned.
Just as the search was about to be extended out into the bay, with the addition of a Coastguard helicopter, the cruise ship Arcadia anchored in the bay reported an object of interest in the water near to them.
The Inshore lifeboat was immediately dispatched to the area to check out the object. It turned out to be the missing dingy with a very relieved sailor on board. He was transferred to the all-weather lifeboat and brought back to Weymouth harbour.
The Inshore lifeboat recovered the dingy which was also taken to Weymouth. The all-weather lifeboat was back at its berth at 02.25am while the Inshore lifeboat returned at 02.45am.
