Brighton RNLI lifeboat joins operation to find missing men

Brighton RNLI in-shore lifeboat Random Harvest joined crews from Shoreham, Selsey and Newhaven in the search for two males.

HM Coastguard shoreside and rescue helicopter 175 were also involved in the four-hour search off the coast of Worthing.

The casualties had left Worthing at midday to go fishing. They were due back at 8pm but had not returned and could not be contacted.

A major search was launched of the wider Sussex bay area, including a shoreline search from Worthing to Littlehampton.

As part of this, Brighton ILB was tasked to search the Rampion windfarm at 3:02am.

At 3:42am the helicopter located a grey RIB with two people onboard. The Coastguard tasked Brighton ILB (as the nearest vessel in the search) to proceed to this RIB and establish the identities of those involved.

By 3:55am Brighton ILB had confirmed that these were the two casualties and had brought them onboard.

Brighton ILB then proceeded to tow their RIB back to Brighton Lifeboat Station.

Both casualties seemed fit and well after their ordeal, but they were cold.

So, it was agreed that Brighton ILB would meet Shoreham ALB at sea and transfer the two casualties to it.

Brighton Lifeboat returned to station and crew were back on pagers at 4:46am ready for service.

The conditions were calm with fair visibility but some cloud cover.

Notes to editors:

Unfortunately there is no footage with this rescue.

RNLI Media contacts:

· Paul Dunt, Regional Media Officer (South East), 0207 6207426, 07785 296252, [email protected]

· Lottie Ikonen, Lifeboat Press Officer (Brighton), [email protected]

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

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The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is the charity that saves lives at sea. Our volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service in the United Kingdom and Ireland from 237 lifeboat stations, including four along the River Thames and inland lifeboat stations at Loch Ness, Lough Derg, Enniskillen and Lough Ree. Additionally the RNLI has more than 1,000 lifeguards on over 180 beaches around the UK and operates a specialist flood rescue team, which can respond anywhere across the UK and Ireland when inland flooding puts lives at risk.

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The RNLI is a charity registered in England and Wales (209603) and Scotland (SC037736). Charity number 20003326 in the Republic of Ireland.

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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For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.