The Douglas all-weather lifeboat, Marine Engineer, under the command of volunteer coxswain, Edd Christian, was launched to assist Douglas Coastguard and Police in a search of Douglas beach and bay following the report of a person seen entering the sea off Douglas Promenade but not being seen exiting the water.
Helped by a clear night with good visibility, and a calm sea but hampered to a degree by a falling tide, coxswain Chrisitian took the lifeboat as close to shore as safely as he could to help in the search by illuminating the area using flares and the lifeboat’s searchlights.
While the search was ongoing a report was received at 1.10am that the person concerned had been found safe and well elsewhere at which point the lifeboat crew were stood down. The lifeboat returned to the harbour to be recovered to the boathouse where it was washed down, re-fuelled and made ready again for service by 1.30am.
Notes to editors
Caption for attached photo: Douglas all-weather lifeboat, Marine Engineer, returning to harbour
Credit: RNLI/Michael Howland
RNLI media contacts
For more information please contact Michael Howland, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07624 496029 or email [email protected] or Danielle Rush, Divisional Media Relations Manager (Wales and West) on 07786 668829 or 01745 585162. Alternatively contact RNLI Public Relations on 01202 336789.
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.
