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Gravesend RNLI launch to assist person stuck in mud

Lifeboats News Release

Gravesend lifeboat was requested to launch by HM Coastguard to assist a large multi-agency rescue of a person stuck in the mud at Erith on Monday 22 July.

Gravesend RNLI's Atlantic 85 Lifeboat in the River Thames moving at Speed

Martin Fish

Gravesend RNLI's Atlantic 85 Lifeboat

The crew of four made best speed to Erith Rands and were first to arrive on scene, approximately 10 minutes after the direct line from London Coastguard sounded at 9:56am.

RNLI Duty Commander Dave Greenfield said, ‘Conscious of the incoming rising tide we located the stranded person as soon as we arrived on scene, however we were still unable to reach the casualty at the time, and therefore we put a crew member ashore to organise alongside London Coastguard arranging support from our colleagues London Fire Brigade, who were then able to reach the casualty with specialist equipment’

‘By the time the casualty had been rescued with the help of mud mats, the tide had changed enough for us to moor up at Erith Yacht Club and enabling additional crew to offer further assistance onshore’.

The emergency assets on scene included Olive Laura Deare II Lifeboat, London Fire Brigade assets, drone team and London Ambulance Service.

Tide times and heights vary throughout the month and can easily catch you out if you haven’t checked them.
You can find out more information about tides in your area through tide tables, apps, weather news or Port of London Authority website.

All emergency services involved held a full debrief at Erith Yacht Club before Gravesend RNLI’s Atlantic 85 departed the scene, refuelled and made ready for service again by 1:21pm.


Notes to Editor

Gravesend is one of the RNLI’s newest lifeboat stations and one of four lifeboat stations operating on the River Thames – the first stations to specifically cover a river rather than estuarial waters or the sea.

Our lifeboat is Olive Laura Deare II, an Atlantic 85 B class inshore lifeboat, which is one of the fastest types in the fleet.

RNLI Media Contacts

For further information, please contact:

Ashley Bard, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for Gravesend RNLI [email protected]

Hatti Mellor, Regional Communications Manager [email protected]

RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789 or email [email protected]

London Fire Bridage using mud mats at Erith

Fraser Gray

London Fire Bridage using mud mats at Erith
Fire trucks amongst vessels at yacht club

RNLI/Liam Sidders

Emergency services at Erith Yacht Club

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.

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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.

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