Busy weekend for Southend RNLI lifeboat.

Together with a paramedic who had also been called, the lady was transferred by stretcher to the lifeboat buggy, and onto a waiting ambulance on the shore.

Later, at 4.45pm, the Atlantic 85 lifeboat was launched to a broken down personal watercraft a quarter of a mile off Barge Pier at Shoebury. Arriving on scene, the crew found that the craft had run out of fuel and, despite attempts by a companion to tow it ashore, was drifting seawards on the falling tide.

The crew took the casualty, who was suffering from cold, on board the lifeboat and towed the watercraft back to West Beach slipway and assisted with the recovery onto a trailer.

Then, on Sunday 10 September, whilst on a training exercise at Old Leigh Regatta, the volunteer crew of the Atlantic 85 lifeboat were tasked by the UK Coastguard at 2.45pm to a sinking 20ft day-sailing boat off Thorpe Bay.

The safety boats from the yacht club were on hand and had taken the casualties on board, with the yacht anchored to prevent it from drifting. Although it was hoped the lifeboat crew would be able to use their portable salvage pump to raise the casualty, this proved to be impossible due to the attitude of the sunken craft.

With no further assistance required, the crew returned to the pier head boathouse but launched the Atlantic 85 again at 4.10pm to reports of a windsurfer in difficulty off the Crowstone at Chalkwell. The crew were stood down en route when the surfer had made his own way to the shore, and returned to the boathouse for a wash down and refuel.

RNLI media contacts:

• Brian Wood - Southend Lifeboat Station Assistant Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer. Tel – 07789 817915, [email protected]
• Tim Ash, RNLI Public Relations Manager (London/South East/East) Tel - 0207 6207426 / 07785 296252 / [email protected]
• Paul Dunt, Press Officer (London/ South East) Tel- 0207 6207416 / 07786668825 [email protected]
• For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789

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.