Three shouts in 18 hours for Littlehampton RNLI.

At 2.36pm on Saturday 2 August, Littlehampton RNLI’s Atlantic 85 Renée Sherman lifeboat and volunteer crew launched in response to a call from the UK Coastguard reporting that there was a single crew member who had made a VHF call stating he had fallen on the vessel and had suffered a suspected broken arm.

The vessel was four and a half miles south of Bognor Regis, amid good weather conditions. On arrival at the scene the lifeboat crew assessed the casualty and stabilised his arm using fracture straps - he was then transferred to the lifeboat. The vessel was demobilised and left anchored in readiness for collection later.

The lifeboat returned to the station where the casualty was handed over to the ambulance Service for further medical attention.

At 4.02pm on the same day the second call was received from the UK Coastguard requesting assistance to a motor cruiser that had suffered an engine fire, which was now extinct, but the vessel was without power and unable to proceed. There were two adults and a dog on the craft.

The station's Atlantic 85 Renée Sherman lifeboat was launched at 4.06pm and headed out to the reported position two and a half miles south of Worthing. On arrival alongside the casualty the lifeboat crew established that the fire was out and a tow-line was rigged in preparation for the journey back to the marina, where the casualty was secured at its own moorings and the fire service were in attendance. The lifeboat returned to the station at 6.10pm.

The third call was received at 8.27am on Sunday 2 April following reports that a fisherman had been injured during a fishing trip and he and his boat were one and a half miles south of the entrance to Littlehampton Harbour. Due to the impending low water the stations D Class Ray of Hope lifeboat was launched and headed out towards the scene. The lifeboat crew found the casualty, who had injured his arm and shoulder after becoming entangled in the net winch. He was immediately transferred to the lifeboat and returned to the lifeboat station where the ambulance service were waiting to treat him, prior to taking him to hospital for further examination. The fishing boat was left anchored, ready for collection later in the morning by a fellow fisherman. The lifeboat returned to the station at 9.09am where it was made ready for service.

RNLI media contacts

• Ray Pye, Littlehampton RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer / 07854 074688, email [email protected]
• Tim Ash, RNLI Public Relations Manager (London/East/South East) on 0207 6207426, 07785 296252 email [email protected]
• For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789 email [email protected]

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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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

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