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Littlehampton RNLI conduct night time rescue as boat runs aground at Clymping

Lifeboats News Release

Littlehampton’s RNLI volunteer crews were called upon to assist with recovering a vessel which had run aground near the beach on the evening of Saturday 22 April 2023.

The night time recovery operation as observed from the Littlehampton RNLI B-Class inshore lifeboat

RNLI

The night time recovery operation as observed from the Littlehampton RNLI B-Class inshore lifeboat

At 9.15pm HM Coastguard requested assistance from Littlehampton’s lifeboat crews to attend a vessel that had reportedly run aground approximately 1 mile west of the harbour entrance. The station’s B-Class inshore lifeboat Renee Sherman was launched, facing waves of up to 2.5m in height and a moderately strong Force 4-5 southerly wind. Arriving at the scene it became apparent that, although now two hours after low tide, the water level was still too low for the lifeboat to reach the casualty vessel. The decision was therefore taken to also launch the station’s smaller D-Class lifeboat Ray of Hope which, with a smaller draft, can operate in shallower water. Although it was dark the visibility was good, but both boat crews faced rain and hail as they combatted the waves.

The D-Class lifeboat managed to get close to the beach amongst the breaking surf and send an RNLI crew member ashore who was able to attach a tow rope to the casualty vessel, a 6.1m boat with an outboard engine. Once towed through the surf an RNLI crew member safely boarded the vessel to double check for signs of any significant damage to its hull. All seemed well and the vessel was towed back to Littlehampton harbour where it was moored alongside at Fisherman’s Quay. Both lifeboats were then recovered from the water, cleaned and returned to the boathouse.

Nick White, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Littlehampton lifeboat station and Deputy Launch Authority for this incident said:

‘Night time rescues are more complex due to reduced visibility, especially when the sea state has significant wave heights. The recovery of the vessel that had run aground was complicated by the fact that it was a lee shore wind, one that is blowing from the sea to the land, which creates a lot of surf and breaking waves. The RNLI crew at Littlehampton are well versed in dealing with these conditions though and were able to complete the vessel recovery in a safe and efficient manner.’

ENDS

Notes to editors

Littlehampton RNLI’s volunteer crew look after the stretch of the West Sussex coast between Bognor Regis and Worthing. Littlehampton RNLI is independent from the Coastguard. To find out more about Littlehampton RNLI,

see https://rnli.org/news-and-media/2022/april/27/10-facts-about-littlehampton-rnli-lifeboat-station

RNLI media contacts

Anthony Fogg, Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer, Littlehampton RNLI 07823 509032 [email protected]

Paul Dunt, Regional Media Officer, London and South East 07785 296252 [email protected]

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

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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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