Four shouts in one day for Littlehampton RNLI.

The volunteer crew of Littlehampton RNLI were already at the station when the first call came in, requesting the locating and recovery of a large inflatable swan. At the time it wasn’t known if anyone was onboard. The stations Atlantic 85 lifeboat Renée Sherman launched at 1.48pm on Sunday 8 June and headed out towards the scene, a mile and a quarter west of the harbour entrance and commenced the search. This mission coincided with news being received that a young girl had been reported missing at Climping beach. Following communications with the UK Coastguard, a request was made for the stations D Class lifeboat Ray of Hope to be launched to assist in the search for the child. Just after the launch it was advised that the girl had been found safe and well on the beach. The D Class was stood down and returned to the station. Shortly after, the search for the inflatable swan was called off and the Atlantic 85 started its return to the station. During the return journey, the Littlehampton Harbour Master requested that the lifeboat divert to a fishing vessel that had reportedly broken down. On arrival at the scene the casualty was already under tow by another vessel. The lifeboat and crew escorted both vessels back to the harbour, where the casualty was safely moored. The lifeboat returned to the station.

At 3:13pm a Mayday transmission reported a diver in distress. The adult male was on-board a charter boat, eighteen miles from Littlehampton harbour. The stations Atlantic 85 launched and set course with volunteer crew aboard who are medically trained to deal with such circumstances. At the scene the casualty was taken aboard the lifeboat so that he could be winched to the helicopter for the flight to the specialist care unit at St Richard’s Hospital, Chichester. The lifeboat escorted the charter vessel back to its moorings in Littlehampton Harbour and then returned to the station at 5:10pm, 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

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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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.