Coastguard and RNLI lifeboat volunteers in night-time search
North Wales Police informed the UK Coastguard Co-ordinating centre in Holyhead, that clothes had been found on Rhyl beach, opposite the Pavilion Theatre.
Local volunteer coastguard teams were paged at 9.50pm on Good Friday, 30 March, but it soon became clear due to the tide and sea conditions, that extra resources would be required to carry out a shoreline search. A jacket had been found on the beach and it was unclear where the owner had gone to. The volunteers of Rhyl RNLI were also paged, and both the inshore, and all-weather lifeboat were launched, this being the first launch for the all-weather boat. Other items of clothing were found by the coastguards further down the beach, but were not directly associated with the initial find.
The area between Rhyl Harbour and Garford road past Splash Point were thoroughly searched using searchlights and parachute flares to illuminate the area, but nothing was found.
After nearly two hours of searching, nothing had been found, and as no-one was reported missing from the area, the search was called off with a possible extra check in daylight the following day. The lifeboats returned to station at just after midnight on Saturday.
Photos are courtesy of Ian Olsen, Rhyl Coastguard volunteer station officer.
Maps are courtesy of marine traffic.com.
RNLI Coxswain Martin Jones says 'We are willing to assist in cases like this, we hope that the coastguards and Police find the owner of the clothes safe and well ashore.'
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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