Littlehampton RNLI, UK Coastguard, Police and Fire & Rescue in two searches

The first call was at 8:30pm reporting a person in the River Arun. The stations D Class lifeboat Ray of Hope and volunteer crew launched ten minutes later and headed up the river towards the reported location, near Tortington, Arundel. The search began along the river from Tortington to the A27 at Arundel. The Fire and Rescue Service tasked the lifeboat to search up to the old road bridge in Arundel. The casualty was located by the lifeboat crew on the west bank of the river by the old windmill and was escorted up the river bank to the A27 by a crew member and handed over to the Coastguard Rescue Team. The lifeboat was stood down and returned to the station at 9:40pm.

Whilst on the slipway having returned from the first incident the lifeboat and same crew were tasked by the UK Coastguard to the second incident following a Police report of someone shouting for help near Greatham Bridge on the River Arun. The lifeboat launched and set course at 9:56pm. In fading light, an extensive search was conducted fifteen miles upriver from the from the lifeboat station, along the river and river banks between Greatham and Timberley bridges. At 1:10am, it was agreed that the search should be called off as it had proved inconclusive. The lifeboat was stood down and returned to the station at 1:29am where it was refuelled and made ready for service.

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]

• 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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