Clacton RNLI lifeboats launched three times in twelve hours
The volunteer crew of Clacton’s Atlantic 85 and D Class inshore lifeboats were launched three times in twelve hours by UK Coastguard, with two coming simultaneously in the early hours of Wednesday 18 October.
The first of the triple bill came with the volunteer crew launching their Atlantic class lifeboat at 1:15pm Tuesday 17 October to reports of a kite surfer in difficulty off Connaught Avenue, Frinton on Sea.
On reaching the Frinton Golf Course the crew spotted a kite surfer making their way up a launch ramp and stopped to investigate. The surfer confirmed that they had been out in the sea, but were perfectly ok.
On leaving, the crew believed that this was the kite surfer reported, but as the details were not comprehensive decided it would be prudent to finish checking the coastline to the pier at Walton-on-the-Naze in case there was another kite surfer who may be in difficulty before returning to station, arriving back at 2pm.
Both lifeboats were launched simultaneously to different incidents in the early hours of Wednesday 18 October. Clacton’s D Class lifeboat was tasked to an ongoing incident at the pier while the Atlantic Class lifeboat was launched to a report of a person entering the water at Jaywick.
On route to the pier the D Class lifeboat was re-tasked to assist with the search off Jaywick as Essex Police had the incident at the pier under control.
Both boats searched for the missing person along with UK Coastguard mobile units from Clacton. Nothing was found and all units were stood down just after 2am, with further enquiries ongoing by UK Coastguard into the report received.
Just like the volunteer crews of the other 237 stations covering the 19,000 miles of coastline, and major waterways, whatever the time of day, they are willing to drop everything to go to the aid of someone in trouble, 365 days of the year.
Notes to Editors
Atlantic 85 currently on station is the Norma Ethel Vinall of the reserve fleet, while Clacton’s own boat David Porter MPS is away for a refit.
RNLI media contacts
- Richard Wigley, Lifeboat Press Officer, Clacton RNLI: 07903 424698
- Clare Hopps, RNLI Regional Media Officer, North East and East: 07824 518641
- 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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