Exmouth RNLI assigned following concern for paddle boarder
In what was their second assignment of the day, both Exmouth RNLI Lifeboats launched tonight following reports of concern for a paddleboarder seen 2.5 miles off the coast of Budleigh Salterton.
At 7.32pm this evening, Tuesday 15 September 2020, H.M. Coastguard tasked both our RNLI All Weather Lifeboat, 13-33 Bridie O’Shea and Inshore Lifeboat D-755 Peggy-D to a report of concern for a paddleboarder seen approximately 2.5 miles off the coast of Budleigh Salterton.
The two lifeboats manned by the lifesaving charity’s volunteer crew were launched a few minutes later. The All Weather Lifeboat crewed by Steve Hockings-Thompson, Mark Sansom, Steve Satchell, Paul Balbi, David Preece and James Edge and the Inshore boat by Guy Munnings, Harry Griffin and James Searle.
Both lifesaving vessels undertook an extensive, detailed search for several hours of the vicinity in which the paddleboarder was last sighted, assisted by members of the Exmouth Coastguard Rescue Team, the Sidmouth Independent Lifeboat
Pride of Sidmouth and an H.M. Coastguard AW-189 helicopter, Rescue 187.
On completion of thorough searches of the relevant area with nothing found, both lifeboats were stood down at just before midnight when they returned to Exmouth, refueled and were back ready for service shortly afterwards.
Important RNLI Safety advice for paddleboarders can be found at :
https://rnli.org/safety/choose-your-activity/stand-up-paddle-boarding
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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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