Southend-on-Sea RNLI volunteers respond to distress beacon from aircraft
Southend RNLI volunteers were paged at 4.48pm Tuesday (5 November). The tasking from HM Coastguard was to a distress beacon received from an aircraft in the vicinity of the Maplin bell off Foulness. Volunteers from Sheerness and Burnham-on-Crouch RNLI were also tasked to join the search.
In a gentle northwest breeze Southend RNLI volunteers launched the charity’s Atlantic 85 B-885 Julia and Angus Wright then headed towards the area of the distress beacon at top speed (35 knots). Sheerness all-weather lifeboat RNLI 13-38 arriving on scene a few moments later. HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter Rescue 163 joined the search, while Burnham-on-Crouch RNLI volunteers pagers alerted them to launch their Atlantic 85, B-849 and head to the search area.
Each asset was tasked to carry out search patterns covering the area of the distress beacon taking into consideration the tidal flow, looking for a person in the water, wreckage or oil slicks. The extensive search lasting almost five hours was called off at 9.30pm after nothing had been found. HM Coastguard stood down all assets.
Southend-on-Sea volunteers returned to station at 10.15pm. B-885 Julia and Angus Wright was refuelled and made ready for service.
RNLI volunteers are ready to go to sea at a moments notice 24 hours a day 365 days a year to help anyone in distress. Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the charity that saves lives at sea powered by public donations.
If you see someone in trouble, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
Notes to editors
- Southend-on-Sea lifeboat station has been operating since 1879. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: https://southendlifeboat.org/
- Southend-on-Sea RNLI Atlantic 85 Julia and Angus Wright is stationed at the end of Southend pier, launched by davit.
RNLI media contacts
- For more information please contact: Nigel Gilchrist, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for Southend-on-Sea RNLI, 07765875300 or [email protected],
- Hatti Mellor | RNLI Regional Communications Manager – South East, [email protected]
- Julie Rainey, Regional Communications Lead - South East, on 07827 358 256 or email [email protected]
- For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer 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.
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.