Solent lifeboat crew dismissed and suspended

One of Calshot's two lifeboats is currently out of action over volunteering breakdown

One of the country's busiest sailing areas is down a lifeboat after the RNLI said it had to dismiss a member of staff and suspend two others.

The Solent's Calshot station can only operate one lifeboat after a "breakdown in the volunteering relationship", the charity said.

The RNLI said safety was not an issue as the station only operates one lifeboat at a time.

It would not comment on the internal investigation.

In a statement the RNLI said Calshot remained fully operational, but added: "For the time-being, the station will only declare one of its two lifeboats as an asset at any one time.

"However should further lifeboats be required, the Solent area is very well covered by its stations at Cowes, Portsmouth and Lymington as well as independent lifeboat stations."

It anticipates that Calshot RNLI, which covers one of the busiest maritime areas in the UK and answers about 100 call-outs a year, will return to operating two lifeboats in the next few weeks.

The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland.