Selsey RNLI lifeboat crew pull young man from the sea

The D class inshore lifeboat (ILB) Betty and Thomas Moore launched at 5.25pm and made best speed towards Pagham.

The weather on scene was wind easterly force 5-6 with a moderate sea state with good visibility.

At 5.35pm the lifeboat arrived on scene and headed towards some people waving on the beach, but then spotted the person in the water. At 5.37pm the boy was recovered to the lifeboat conscious but extremely cold.

The casualty was fully clothed so the lifeboat crew used a survival bag to protect him from the wind chill and water spray while they headed to the beach.

The beach was reached at 5.44pm and the boy was taken ashore with the help of Selsey Coastguard team to a waiting ambulance. The lifeboat crew spotted three people on Pagham spit while recovering the casualty and were concerned for their safety.

With the arrival of the Coastguard rescue helicopter on scene both they and the lifeboat crew checked the spit but no one was seen.

Sussex police confirmed it had been two of their officers with another adult on the spit and were safely ashore so the helicopter and the lifeboat were released from the incident at 5.59pm. The lifeboat returned to station at 6.20pm and was rehoused straight away.

The crew on the lifeboat consisted of Helm Rob Archibald and volunteers Colin Pullenger and Harry Emmence.

A similar incident occurred just over a week earlier when Dover Coastguard paged Selsey RNLI lifeboat crew at 3.12pm on Wednesday 28 September after reports of a person in the water close to Bognor Regis pier.

The D class inshore lifeboat (ILB) was launched with a crew of three volunteers at 3.20pm and proceeded at best speed to the pier.

While on route the coastguards updated the position saying the casualty was just to the west of the pier and approximately 300 metres off shore. The weather on scene was wind west south west force 5, sea state moderate in cloudy sky.
 
At 3.31pm the lifeboat arrived on scene and the casualty, a man, was quickly spotted. Once alongside him he was recovered to the lifeboat and taken straight to the beach where South East Coast Ambulance Service crew and Sussex Police officers were waiting.

After handing the casualty over to the Paramedics at 3.36pm the ILB was released to return to station.

Littlehampton RNLI lifeboat and Littlehampton Coastguards were also tasked to this incident but stood down en-route. The Selsey lifeboat arrived back at station at 4.10pm and was rehoused straight away. The crew consisted of Helm Colin Pullenger, with crew members John Reeves and Pip Skeet.

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•  Max Gilligan Selsey RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer
07956 415429 [email protected] 
• Tim Ash, RNLI Public Relations Manager (London/South East/East)
0207 6207426 / 07785 296252 / [email protected]
• For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789

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.

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