Burnham-on-Sea RNLI crews rush to save woman in mud
The Burnham-on-Sea volunteer crews were scrambled by Milford Haven Coastguard control at 11.46 am after a woman was reported to be stuck in mud, just south of the Brean down slipway.
A serious predicament with water lapping around her and still two hours before high tide’. Also paged were coastguard rescue teams, plus Burnham BARB Search and Rescue hovercraft. A rescue helicopter was apparently stood down at take-off by Milford control.
Crews from both lifeboats provided safety cover on scene, two crew leaving the D class lifeboat to assist if required, as members of the Coastguard rescue team, extracted the woman from the mud. At the time of extraction, the woman was actually in waist deep water.
Rescue complete, the lifeboats were stood down by Milford control, at 12.40 pm and returned to Burnham-on-Sea for recovery and wash-down by lifeboat crews and shore team members.
Nathan Meager, helmsman of D Class lifeboat Burnham Reach said; ‘ The D class having a lower draft is able to access shallower water. On arrival, the obviously tired casualty had been seated up to her neck in water. I detailed two crew to assist if required, but coastguard team members managed to lift her from the mud and assisted her out of the water and back to the beach.”
Volunteer Lifeboats Press Officer Mike Lang adds; “This was an excellent example of a multi-agency rescue.
I urge visitors to the seaside to take notice of signs warning of soft sand and mud, plus any other local dangers. If you see anyone in danger at the seaside dial 999 and speak to the Coastguard.’
ENDS
NOTES FOR EDITORS
A library image of the Burnham-on-Sea RNLI lifeboats is attached.
File name: lifeboats (Credit RNLI/Mike Lang)
Lifeboats in service at Burnham-on-Sea:
A 7.5m Atlantic 75 named Doris Day and Brian plus a smaller 4.95m D class IB1 inflatable named Burnham Reach The station was opened officially on 15th May 2004, but has been operational since December 2003.
Note: Last year the RNLI was facing a ‘perfect storm’, with a reduced income and an increase in demand for it’s services. This year, in the midst of a global pandemic, fundraising has been severely reduced by a national lockdown, yet the lifeboats have still been launched 24/7 in their strategy to save lives at sea.
Click this link to donate; https://rnli.org/support-us/give-money/give-to-a-special-appeal/summer-appeal
RNLI media contacts
For more information about this release please telephone Mike Lang, RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07889 815860 or email [email protected],
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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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