
Eastbourne RNLI respond reports of red flares
Eastbourne RNLI's volunteer crew were paged at 9:49pm on 29 March after HM Coastguard received several reports of two red flares sighted in Pevensey Bay.
One of the reports to Solent Coastguard came from RNLI crew member Ryan Needham who was out on the seafront when he saw the flares. Once he had called the report in he made his way to the station and was one of the crew who went afloat on the lifeboat.
'I saw two red flares and knowing what they meant I called 999 and reported it to the coastguard before making my way to the station in case we were launched' Ryan said afterwards.
'Although it appeared there was no-one in danger on this occasion those people who reported the flares to the coastguard did exactly the right thing,' said Eastbourne RNLI coxswain Mark Sawyer.
'There could easily have been someone out there needing urgent assistance and although the crew didn't find anyone this time the search provided vital training for the crew in responding to this type of call'.
Media Contacts:
Daniel Baldock, Eastbourne RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer [email protected]
Paul Dunt, RNLI Regional Media Officer London London and South East (07785) 296252 [email protected]
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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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