Both boats carry out extensive search for missing person

At 11:29 the volunteers were paged to launch the inshore lifeboat (ILB) to help search for a missing person in the area of Old Harry rocks. An hour later the all-weather lifeboat (ALB) was also launched in case the person had entered the water and had been swept away by the tide and currents. Over the next six hours the ALB did three search patterns, one at the southern end of Poole Bay, one from Old Harry to Peveril Point and a third in an area south west of Durlston Head. Each area covered between seven and ten nautical miles squared.

Meanwhile, the ILB crew scoured the shoreline from Poole Harbour entrance all the way to Anvil Point Lighthouse, often setting crew ashore to check in caves and behind rocks. Whilst some crew were able to be changed and rested, two volunteers spent six hours in the confines of the ILB.

At 6:09 p.m. all assets involved were stood down by Solent Coastguard and the Swanage lifeboats returned to station.

ALB Crew: (Coxn) Gavin Steeden, Steve Williams, Duncan Youngs, Neil Brooks, Ben Bamber, Julian Vass
ILB Crew: (Helm) Darren Tomes, (Helm) Becky Mack, Alice Haw, Ben Jarvis, Nigel Bower, Archie Burgess
Shore Crew: (Head Launcher) Neil Collings, (Winch) Paul Meacham, Matthew Steeden, Jack Thompson

RNLI Media Contacts

For further information, please contact:

Becky Mack, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI South East, [email protected]

Jess Curtis, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for London and South East England, 07483 488243, [email protected]

Julie Rainey, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for London and South East England, 07827 358256, [email protected]

RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [email protected]

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,700 lives.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.