Barrow lifeboat called to assist children attempting to cross Walney Channel
Volunteer crew from the RNLI’s Barrow station launched their inshore lifeboat on Sunday 4 September, to go to the aid of two boys who were in danger of becoming cut off by the rising tide as they attempted to walk across Walney Channel.
The initial request to launch the lifeboat came from a member of the public who telephoned Barrow Lifeboat Station at about 11.45am to report that he could see the boys trying to cross the Channel from Barrow to the northern end of Walney Island.
The inshore lifeboat Vision of Tamworth was launched at 12.06pm with Jonny Long at the helm assisted by crewman Andy Baxter. The crew also informed Holyhead Coastguard of the decision to launch the lifeboat.
Upon arrival at the scene the two boys, aged nine and eleven, were found to have made their way safely back to the Barrow side of the Channel.
The boys were then handed over to Furness Coastguard who by now was also at the scene. The Coastguard team made sure the two boys were okay and gave them appropriate coastal safety advice.
The wind at the time was west north-westerly, force three to four. Visibility was good and high water was at 2.04pm with a height of 8.9 metres.
The inshore lifeboat was returned to the lifeboat station where it was washed down and made ready for the next launch.
Useful water safety advice is available by visiting the RNLI’s Respect the Water website at: www.respectthewater.com
The RNLI volunteer team at Barrow is grateful to the member of the public who raised the alarm today. However, as the lifeboat station is not manned 24 hours a day, the advice is always to raise the alarm by making an emergency 999 call and asking for the Coastguard who can then mobilise the most appropriate resources.
RNLI Media contacts
For more information please contact, Chris Clouter, RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on: 07531 085900.
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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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