Camber Lifeguards race to the rescue as dinghy smashes against harbour wall

Lifeguards Jake Webb and Brett Wood were about to finish their shift at Camber Sands Central Beach when, just before 6pm on Tuesday July 18, they were alerted by the UK Coastguard to a dinghy with three men aboard that had been blown into the harbour wall after its engine failed.

Jake and Brett, who are both from Australia, immediately launched an RNLI rescue jet ski and headed from the beach to the harbour. They were on scene within two minutes and discovered a 15ft fibreglass dinghy with one man on board and one man in the water between the boat and the harbour wall. A third man had already swum to shore.

None of the men were wearing life-jackets and the man in the boat was a non-swimmer. The lifeguards used the jet ski to take both men safely to the beach before the Rye lifeboat arrived and was able to tow the dinghy back to shore.

‘For me it’s all part of the job,’ said Jake, an acting Senior Lifeguard. ‘The men were in a dangerous situation between the harbour and the wall and both were very thankful when we put them on the beach.’

‘Our lifeguards receive world-class training and this rescue demonstrates just how versatile they can be,’ said RNLI Lifeguard Supervisor Joe Mitchell. ‘Mechanical breakdowns are always a possibility and we’d advise people to carry safety equipment, such as life-jackets, in case the worse happens.’

Last year RNLI lifeguards saved 127 lives, attended 17,414 incidents and helped 20,538 people. The charity’s 1300 lifeguards patrol more than 240 beaches across the UK and Channel Islands.

RNLI lifeguards, who began patrols on Camber Sands earlier this summer, are based at two locations on the beach. Four lifeguards began patrolling on Camber Sands Central beach on 27 May and will remain there until 1 October. A further two lifeguards began patrolling Camber Sands West beach from 8 July and will stay there until 10 September. The lifeguards at both beaches are in place seven days a week from 10am – 6pm.

Photo caption: RNLI lifeguards Jake Webb and Brett Wood photographed at the end of their day patrolling Camber Sands Central beach.

Ends

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Key facts about the RNLI

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is the charity that saves lives at sea. Our volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service in the United Kingdom and Ireland from 237 lifeboat stations, including four along the River Thames and inland lifeboat stations at Loch Ness, Lough Derg, Enniskillen and Lough Ree. Additionally the RNLI has more than 1,000 lifeguards on over 180 beaches around the UK and operates a specialist flood rescue team, which can respond anywhere across the UK and Ireland when inland flooding puts lives at risk.

The RNLI relies on public donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. As a charity it is separate from, but works alongside, government-controlled and funded coastguard services. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824 our lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved at least 140,000 lives. Volunteers make up 95% of the charity, including 4,600 volunteer lifeboat crew members and 3,000 volunteer shore crew. Additionally, tens of thousands of other dedicated volunteers raise funds and awareness, give safety advice, and help in our museums, shops and offices.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter 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 or by email.

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.