Walmer RNLI lifeboat joins search for missing kayakers
Walmer's volunteer crew responded to its third call in three days as it joined forces with the Dover RNLI lifeboat and Coastguard helicopter 163 yesterday (Sunday 30 July) to reports of two overdue kayakers who were on passage from St Margaret's to Kingsdown.
Four volunteer crew aboard the Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat launched at 4.37pm after a call to assist with the search after the Dover lifeboat had been tasked with a further call to a yacht three miles off the coast with engine difficulties.
Two people were located safe on the beach. Helm Lee Waddon said: 'We put crew member Steve Emptage ashore in order to ascertain that these people were the part of the group that were missing'.
The Walmer lifeboat stood by until Dover returned.
On being released Walmer were further tasked with a search for a missing wind surfing rig which had last been seen at approximately 2pm. The wind surfer had made it safely to shore. An area search was conducted 1.3 nautical miles off the coast between St Margaret's and Deal. The rig wasn't found and the lifeboat returned to station at 6.35pm.
RNLI media contacts
- Chris Winslade, Lifeboat Press Officer, Walmer Lifeboat Station (07906) 623037 [email protected]
- Tim Ash, RNLI Public Relations Manager (London/East/South East) on 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
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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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