A lifeboat crew was called out to rescue a boat which had drifted into reeds after it slipped its mooring while its occupant was sleeping.

Hembsy Lifeboat descended on a rescue mission in the early hours of Wednesday morning to save a small sailing vessel that drifted as its mooring came loose overnight.

One male occupant was onboard the boat which had become stuck in reeds somewhere between the Waveney River Centre and Somerleyton when the rescue team arrived.

The man had been sleeping at the time the incident happened and was unsure of his location.

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Beccles & Bungay Journal: Hemsby Lifeboat crew towing the strayed boat back to the River Waveney CentreHemsby Lifeboat crew towing the strayed boat back to the River Waveney Centre (Image: Hemsby Lifeboat)

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The rescue team launched at the river centre and quickly located the vessel, putting two crew members on board to assist in establishing a towline and steering. 

The boat was then towed back up the river to the river centre, where the Lowestoft Coastguard team assisted with mooring and looked after the man on board.

At around 3 am, the Hemsby Lifeboat crew stood down and returned to base to wash down and prepare their equipment knowing they had safely moored the stray boat for the night.
Beccles & Bungay Journal: The Somerleyton Swing Bridge is in the foreground, showing the stretch of the River Waveney down towards the River Waveney Centre. The Somerleyton Swing Bridge is in the foreground, showing the stretch of the River Waveney down towards the River Waveney Centre. (Image: Antony Kelly)

Beccles & Bungay Journal: The lifeboat preparing to descend on its rescue mission in the early hours of the morning Sep 13The lifeboat preparing to descend on its rescue mission in the early hours of the morning Sep 13 (Image: Hemsby Lifeboat)