Weymouth Lifeboats experienced a busy afternoon as they responded to two incidents.

The incidents were reported in the afternoon of Saturday, June 8. 

At 1pm, two Mayday calls were received from an inflatable boat in Weymouth Bay taking on water carrying two persons. According to the crew from Weymouth Lifeboat, the pair were attempting to get from Portland to Lulworth before getting into difficulty.

After being assessed initially by the harbourmaster at the port, the persons were taken onboard a lifeboat and back to the station to warm up.

The next call, at 3.39pm, saw the crew respond to an EPIRB (Electronic Position Indicating Radio Beacon) around eight nautical miles east of Portland Bill. The search was unsuccessful, and the crew returned to the station. According to a spokesperson for Weymouth Lifeboat, it was likely that this was the result of an accidental deployment aboard a passing vessel.

A spokesperson for Weymouth Lifeboat said: "A Mayday call was received on ch16 from an inflatable boat in Weymouth Bay taking on water.

"Both boats were launched at approximately 1pm Apparently the vessel, with two persons aboard, were attempting to get from Portland to Lulworth before getting into difficulty.

"Having been initially assisted by Portland harbourmaster the persons were then taken onboard the all-weather lifeboat, Ernest and Mabel, and back to the station to warm up.

“At 3.39pm the all weather lifeboat crew took to the water again, after an EPIRB (Electronic Position Indicating Radio Beacon) signal was reported eight nm east of the Portland Bill.

"After an unsuccessful search the Ernest and Mabel returned to station - with the signal being deemed likely to have been the result of an accidental deployment aboard a passing vessel.”