Cullercoats RNLI practise recovering casualty from the surf

Volunteer crew members at Cullercoats RNLI on board B-811 practise their veering down skills as they train to recover a casualty from the surf line.

Their casualty dummy was dropped in the surf before the crew rigged up the anchor and line in order to manoeuvre into position. The anchor keeps the bow facing the waves and allows the lifeboat to be safely positioned alongside the casualty.

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity 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 146,000 lives.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, 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.