Burnham-on-Crouch RNLI volunteer crews respond to ambiguous distress call.
Burnham-on-Crouch RNLI were tasked by the U.K. Coastguard at 8.15pm on 6 September after they received an ambiguous distress call from an unidentified vessel on VHF channel 16 stating that they broken down two miles out of Burnham with no power and had dropped anchor.
Communication was then lost and could not be re-established.
Both lifeboats from Burnham-on-Crouch were launched with the D class searching up river as far as Battlesbridge while the Atlantic class Tony and Robert Britt searched down river as far as Inner Crouch buoy and up the River Roach.
Both lifeboats made contact with passing vessels and vessels at anchor but could not establish any sightings or further information.
South Woodham mobile Coastguard carried out a shoreline search to no avail.
Eventually all were stood down with no sightings or further communication with the casualty vessel.
Both lifeboats returned to station where they arrived at approximately 11pm.
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