Burnham-on-Sea RNLI lifeboats paged to investigate distress flares

Both the D Class Burnham Reach and the Atlantic 85 Staines Whitfield were launched and made their way to the yacht club to begin searching. The local Coastguard team were already on scene and began a shoreline search alongside the lifeboats. With them lining the shore and banks of the River Brue, the lifeboat crew launched an illumination parachute flare to give better visibility of the area.

The Police who had been searching Apex Park informed the crew that the distance of the flare they had just used compared to that of the earlier sightings was very different, suggesting that the initial flare sightings had been fired from inland. Searching further inland the Coastguards found a spent flare shell on the ground. With this information Milford Haven Ops Room advised they were happy that there were no boats or persons in difficulty.

Both boats were stood down, recovered to station and made ready for service. A long night for our volunteers who left the station at around 3.30am before returning at 8.00am for training exercises.

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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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