Barrow lifeboat responds to activation of distress beacon

The tasking request was received from HM Coastguard in Holyhead at 10.47pm. The information received was that the signal transmitted from the Beacon put it in a position in the vicinity of King’s Scar, just over a mile and a half off the coast of Fleetwood.

The crew, who had just gone home after completing an evening on exercise, was paged and the all-weather lifeboat, Grace Dixon, was launched at 11.09pm. The lifeboat was under the command of Coxswain, Jonny Long, supported by a crew of six. HM Coastguard was informed that it would take around 30 minutes for the lifeboat to reach the scene.

The RNLI’s Fleetwood inshore lifeboat was also tasked to take part in the search for the Beacon and with the Barrow boat approaching the scene, they reported there was no sign of the Beacon at King’s Scar. However, a further signal from the Beacon was received and this indicated it had drifted to the east. The Barrow boat was instructed to search the area from the mouth of the River Wyre heading east towards Pilling Sands. In the meantime, Coastguard helicopter, Rescue 336, arrived on scene and it was able to track the location of the signal being transmitted from the Beacon to the River Wyre, just east of the entrance channel into Fleetwood Docks. This enabled the Fleetwood lifeboat to head to the location and recover the Beacon.

With the search concluded, the Barrow lifeboat was stood down shortly after midnight and it returned to the Boathouse where it was re-housed by the waiting shore crew and made ready for the next launch.

The weather at the time of the incident was good and the wind was northerly, Force 3-4. The high tide was due at 11.39pm with a predicted height of 8.6m.

RNLI Media Contacts

For further information, please contact:

Chris Clouter, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI Barrow, [email protected]

Claire Fitzpatrick-Smith, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Wales, West of England and Isle of Man, 07977 728 315, [email protected]

Danielle Rush, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for Wales, West of England and Isle of Man, 07786 668829, [email protected]

RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [email protected]

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