Blackpool RNLI volunteers rescue one person during busy night of call outs
Blackpool RNLI volunteers rescued one person when they were called out twice in the space of 90 minutes on Tuesday 21st August 2018.
The first call came just before 10pm on Tuesday when HM Coastguard received reports that a life ring had been spotted in the sea at North Shore. One of the station’s D class lifeboats launched and carried out an extensive search of the area but fortunately no cause for concern was found.
The lifeboat returned to station, was cleaned and refuelled before the volunteers headed home, however they didn’t get very far before they were called out for a second time just after 11pm. A person had jumped from Central Pier and was drifting out to sea. One of the station’s D class lifeboats launched immediately and rescued the casualty who was extremely cold but otherwise unharmed.
Blackpool RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Operations Manager, Keith Horrocks MBE said ‘it has been a very busy and tiring night for our volunteers and for the other 999 teams that responded to these incidents but we’re just pleased that both calls had positive outcomes.
We would urge anyone visiting the coast to Respect the Water, not to take any unnecessary risks and to call 999 and ask for the Coastguard if they find themselves in difficulty or if they see anything that gives them any cause for concern.’
RNLI media contacts
For more information please contact Esther Lowe Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, RNLI Blackpool on 01253 508603 or 07917091948.
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.
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