Southend RNLI Lifeboats in action three times over the weekend.
Southend on sea’s RNLI volunteer lifeboat crews launched three times this weekend to incidents including a drifting craft and persons cut off by the tide.
The inshore lifeboat was launched 6pm on Saturday 20 May following a report of an empty canoe offshore from the Westcliff Casino. This craft had been sighted earlier heading west about 500yds out from the shore at the pier.
After a thorough search, the canoeist was located coming ashore at the Two Tree Island slipway. However, on speaking to the canoeist, he confirmed sighting of an unmanned inflatable dinghy in the original area and the crew were stood down with the incident deemed to be a false alarm with good intent.
On Sunday afternoon, RNLI’s Southend lifeboat, together with the charity’s search & rescue hovercraft, launched to reports from the UK Coastguard of possible persons cut off by the tide at the Mulberry Harbour.
The volunteer crews of both units were stood down when information was received that assistance was being given by members of the public. However, whilst returning to the inshore boathouse, the crew of the hovercraft came across two persons having difficulty negotiating the mussel beds and were given assistance to the shore.
RNLI media contacts
- Brian Wood - Southend Lifeboat Station Volunteer Assistant Lifeboat Press Officer. Tel- 07789 817915, [email protected]
- RNLI media contacts
- Paul Dunt, RNLI Public Relations Manager (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
RNLI online: For more information on the RNLI please visit www.rnli.org.uk. News releases and other media resources, including RSS feeds, downloadable photos and video, are available at the RNLI Press Centre.
Key facts about the RNLI: 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 over 230 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and has more than 140 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK. 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 137,000 lives.
Visit the RNLI's official YouTube channel for more films and follow our rescue stories on Twitter.
A charity registered in England and Wales (209603) and Scotland (SC037736). Charity number CHY 2678 in the Republic of Ireland.
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.