Donate now

Wells RNLI inshore lifeboat assists two people cut off by the tide

Lifeboats News Release

On Friday 29 September 2023 the volunteer crew of Wells inshore lifeboat were paged by HM Coastguard at 7:24pm to help two casualties who had been cut off by the tide on a sand bank offshore of Holkham beach.

Call out 29 September 2023 Holkham bay two casualties cut off by the tide

RNLI/Ray West

Cut off by the tide Holkham bay

The inshore lifeboat Peter Wilcox, with a crew of three, launched from the northern slipway at the boathouse on the top of the high tide. Due to the state of the tide and due to the darkness of nightfall the casualties who had been cut off were advised to remain on the safety of high ground on the sandbank and await the arrival of the lifeboat.

The inshore lifeboat was guided to the casualties who were shining the flash lights on their mobile phones. The lifeboat arrived quickly on scene at 7:41pm and checked the two casualties were both unharmed, apart from being wet and cold.

The volunteer crew helped the casualties onto the lifeboat and proceeded towards the shore to meet with the local Coastguard team who were on the beach adjacent to Lady Anne’s Drive Holkham, ready to assist the casualties.

At 8:12pm the inshore lifeboat crew transferred the casualties over to the care of the Coastguard team who escorted them back to the car park. HM Coastguard were also dealing with another incidence of people cut off by the tide at Brancaster and requested that Wells inshore lifeboat stand by offshore in case they were required to respond and assist.

At 8:22pm HM Coastguard advised that the people cut off at Brancaster were safely ashore and the inshore lifeboat was stood down and made its way back to the boathouse where it was ashore at 8:27pm and rehoused and refuelled ready for service at 9:00pm.

Safety Message from RNLI Wells

High Water at Wells-next-the-sea is currently coinciding with nightfall – people walking on the foreshore should be aware that with the night’s drawing in now, they should ensure they are safely back to the main beach well in advance of the diminishing light and they should always carry a mobile phone with sufficient battery power as a means of communication with the Coastguard by dialling 999. The flash light on mobile phones is a good means of signalling their whereabouts in the case of emergency.

Notes to editors

  • 34 of the 52 call outs in 2022 were to people cut off by the tide in the same areas of the beach.

RNLI media contacts

For more information please telephone Jessica Curtis , RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07860200790 or [email protected] or Clare Hopps Regional Media Officer on 07824518641or [email protected] or contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.

RNLI online

For more information, please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the RNLI News Centre.

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 over 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and, in a normal year, 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 142,700 lives.



Call out 29 September 2023 Holkham bay two casualties cut off by the tide

RNLI/Ray West

Inshore lifeboat Peter Wilcox launching

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.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.

Categories