Rye Harbour RNLI lifeboat launched 3 times in 23 hours

On Monday 17 July just after 8pm Rye Harbour lifeboat launched to reports of an 11m sloop, Fly, which had run aground at the entrance to the Strand in Rye, with two people aboard.

The yacht was high and dry and the owners were happy to stay on board and wait for the next tide, but early on Tuesday 18 July morning at 6.30am the lifeboat launched again, towed the yacht off the mud bank and escorted it to a mooring at the Strand Quay.

Later that day at 5.38pm the crew were requested to launch to a speedboat aground on the rocks on the western side of the harbour entrance. Camber RNLI lifeguards were in attendance and stood by until the lifeboat arrived on scene. The casualty had suffered engine failure and was towed safely back to the slipway and left in the hands of the owner.

Deputy Lifeboat Operations Manager, Tony Edwards, said: ‘These were not life threatening incidents but they do highlight the importance of engine and navigation equipment checks, at all times, by pleasure craft owners in order to ensure the safety of themselves and others.’

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 more than 230 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and has more than 140 lifeguard units on beaches. The RNLI is independent of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and depends almost entirely 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 137,000 lives.

RNLI media contacts

• Steve Griffin, RNLI Rye Harbour Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, 07710 297606/ [email protected]
• Tim Ash, RNLI Public Relations Manager (London/South East/East), 0207 6207426 / 07785 296252 / [email protected]
• Paul Dunt, RNLI Press Officer (London/East/South East) on 0207 6207416, 07786 668825, [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.

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.