Eastbourne lifeboats still busy under lockdown

On Saturday evening (24 June) the all-weather lifeboat (ALB) was launched after concerned witnesses saw what appeared to be “a number of people” entering the water at the entrance to Sovereign Harbour and not seen to return ashore.

A major search was instigated including the ALB, two local coastguard teams, the police and a coastguard rescue helicopter. After an exhaustive scan from Langney Point to Norman’s Bay using thermal imaging equipment and established search techniques with nothing found the combined operation was finally called off after several hours. There have been no subsequent reports of missing people.

Having returned to their homes, the volunteer ALB crew were again paged just before midnight to assist police and coastguard teams with an incident on the beach near the Wish tower. This launch was cancelled as the lifeboat was about to leave the harbour locks when an individual was apprehended under the pier.

To date this year Eastbourne RNLI’s two lifeboats have been lunched a total of 55 times (ILB 35, ALB 20)18 of these during lockdown. Under guidance from professional organisations many of the call-outs, particularly the ones involving the ILB, have not been publicised due to the very sensitive nature of the incidents. Tribute has been paid to the dedication of the volunteer crew in these difficult times.

Notes to editors

Eastbourne has celebrated over 185 years as a lifeboat station and currently operates an all-weather Tamar Class lifeboat ‘Diamond Jubilee’ and an inshore D-Class lifeboat ‘Laurence and Percy Hobbs’.

RNLI media contacts for more information please contact:

• Bob Jeffery, Eastbourne RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, on 07802 878017 [email protected]
• Paul Dunt, RNLI Press Officer (London/East/South East) on : 0207 6207426 Mob: 07785 296252

For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789

RNLI online: For more information on the RNLI please visit www.rnli.org.uk. News releases and other media resources, including RSS feeds, downloadable photos and video, are available at the RNLI Press Centre.

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 142,700 lives.

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