Late evening search for Margate RNLI following report of persons in the sea
Margate’s RNLI inshore lifeboat has taken part in a late evening search following concern about persons in the sea off Botany just hours after another call to a paddle boarder in difficulties off Westgate Bay.
UK Coastguard received a report around 10pm last night (Thursday 18 June) expressing concern for possibly two persons seen entering the sea at Botany Bay around a mile east of Margate. Margate’s RNLI inshore lifeboat, Margate coastguard rescue team (CRT) and units from Kent Police were tasked to investigate.
Extensive sea and shoreline searches were carried out between the area around Foreness Point and Kingsgate Bay involving the CRT checking the beach and the lifeboat searching close inshore and checking the inaccessible bays from the sea. The coastguard teams established contact with several groups of people in the area and after the area had been searched with no further reports of anything untoward the search was called off with the rescue units returning to station.
Peter Barker, Lifeboat Press Officer RNLI Margate said: “This was the second call in just a few hours for the lifeboat and while the second was a false alarm we are grateful to the public who are the eyes and ears for anyone who gets into difficulties along our coastline. If in doubt dial 999 and ask for coastguard.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
· Margate lifeboat station has been operating since 1896. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/margate-lifeboat-station
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· Peter Barker, RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07974 064304 or [email protected]
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· RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.
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