Day and night shouts for Littlehampton RNLI.
Littlehampton RNLI’s Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat Renée Sherman and its volunteer crew launched at 3.50pm on Saturday 28 October in response to a request from the UK Coastguard following following a mobile phone call from the skipper of small leisure craft reporting engine failure.
The craft was quickly located fifty yards off Rustington shore, opposite the RAF Princess Marina House, one mile east of the harbour entrance.
The lifeboat crew rigged up a tow line to the casualty in preparation for the journey back to the harbour, where the casualty and its three crew were returned to their mooring. The lifeboat was recovered to the station at 4.42pm, where it was refuelled and made ready for service.
The second call was received in the early hours of Sunday morning, 29 October, reporting that a person was walking into the water, just off Sea Lane, Rustington.
The Renée Sherman lifeboat put to sea for the second time at 12.29am and headed out to the scene where the Coastguard Rescue Team were conducting a shoreline search.
The lifeboat carried out a search further off shore and during this time more information emerged from the original caller reporting that the person may have entered the water a few hours earlier than first thought.
Due to the change in the situation, lifeboat helmsman Andy Harris requested that the station's second lifeboat, should be launched to assist in extending the search.
The D Class inshore lifeboat Ray of Hope launched at 12.48am and joined in the comprehensive sea and shore search.
At 2.08am, it was agreed that the search should be called off as it had proved inconclusive. Both lifeboats and the Coastguard Rescue Team returned to their individual stations.
RNLI media contacts
- Ray Pye, Littlehampton RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer / 07854 074688, email [email protected]
- Paul Dunt, Regional Media Officer (South East) on 0207 6207426, 07785 296252 email [email protected]
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.