Wells inshore lifeboat rescues two people cut off by the tide on Holkham Beach
RNLI Wells D class inshore lifeboat, Peter Wilcox, with volunteer crew of three, launched to assist two people who had become cut off by the incoming tide on Holkham beach during the afternoon of Saturday 2 October.
The Wells inshore lifeboat was paged at 12.37pm by the Coastguard to go to the assistance of two people cut off by the tide on the west side of Wells/Holkham beach.
The lifeboat launched with a crew of three outside the boathouse at 12.46pm and headed along the harbour channel and out to sea towards the vicinity of the casualties. The two people were cut off on a disappearing spit of sand on the flooding tide, and visible from the lifeboat station.
The lifeboat arrived on scene at 12.49pm and the crew found the two people cold with wet feet, but uninjured. They transferred them to the safety of the lifeboat and took them back to the boathouse.
At 1.06pm the two people were put ashore both safe and well. There were met by the local Coastguard team who were also in attendance.
The inshore lifeboat was sanitised, re-housed, re-fuelled and ready for service again at 1.40pm.
Lifeboat Operations Manager, Chris Hardy, said ‘I am very happy there was a positive outcome this afternoon; however, situations like this can be avoided. When enjoying our coastline, it is important that people are aware of the tide times. They should always return back to the main beach at least four hours before high tide to prevent being cut off, as these people were today.’
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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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