Cowes lifeboat in four-hour River Medina search

The lifeboat initially launched at 11.25 pm after UK Coastguards relayed a member of the public’s call that a person from a kayak was spotted in the water. It then proceeded to the last reported position, off Newport Rowing Club, to conduct a thorough search of the river using its powerful search lights.

Meanwhile a shore-side search was carried out by mobile coastguards from Ventnor and the Needles.

Eventually, having found nothing, the lifeboat returned to station just after 1 am. Then, at 2.37 am the lifeboat launched again to carry out another painstaking river search of the same area, after Needles coastguards reported finding a lifebuoy and possibly hearing a lifejacket whistle.

But when again nothing was found the lifeboat returned to station just after 4 am.

Annie Simkin was the only member of the four-strong crew to be aboard for both searches. A number of other volunteers, however, were at the station for both shouts, some assisting with the boat launches and recoveries, and maintaining contact with the coastguards and lifeboat.

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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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