Both Littlehampton RNLI lifeboats in joint search operation.
Littlehampton RNLI was paged at 3:13pm on Saturday 2 June by the UK Coastguard, reporting an unoccupied, capsized canoe.
Both Littlehampton’s RNLI’s lifeboats Atlantic 85 lifeboat Renée Sherman and D Class Ray of Hope and volunteer crews launched five minutes apart and headed out in fine weather conditions towards the scene, one mile south of Littlehampton Harbour. At the scene the UK Coastguard, Coastal Rescue Team requested that the lifeboats check an object that had been sighted in the water. Both lifeboats commenced a planned search of the area, but nothing was found. During the later stages of the search one of the lifeboat crew reported possibly seeing an object underwater, so the search was extended to a wider area. Both lifeboats completed the planned search at 5.03pm, nothing was found, and the lifeboats were stood down, returning to the station at 5.39pm, where they were 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
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