Donate now

Burnham-on-Crouch RNLI tasked to activation of Man Overboard device

Lifeboats News Release

At 3.10pm on Thursday 30 January 2025, the RNLI volunteer crew at Burnham-on-Crouch Lifeboat station was paged by HM Coastguard. The D class lifeboat David and Barbara Chapman was launched within 12 minutes to a Man Overboard device alert in the vicinity of Bridgemarsh Marina.

RNLI/Nicola Fletcher

D class entering the floating boat shed

HM Coastguard rescue teams and Essex Fire and Rescue also attended.

The D class lifeboat David and Barbara Chapman attended with four crew members, Lucy, Tony, Mike and Ben on board. This was the first shout for the station’s newly on-service crew member Ben who passed out as safe on service in January 2025.

On entering Bridgemarsh Marina the crew began a search of the area, in conjunction with Essex fire and rescue from the shore. The owner of the vessel was located safe and well, the Man Overboard device had been accidentally activated. The crew confirmed with the subject that he was safe and well.

Simon Dennis, RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, said: ‘Our crew responded to an Automatic Identification of Shipping (AIS) Man Overboard alarm, launching within 12 minutes of the original call. We were obviously happy that it turned out to be an inadvertent activation rather than someone genuinely in the water. AIS alarms and EPIRBs (satellite alarms), which can be worn within a lifejacket, are hugely valuable ways of raising an alarm during an emergency, we’d urge all water users to consider carrying one whilst afloat.’

The charity’s lifeboat David and Barbara Chapman returned to station and was rehoused and made ready for service.

Notes to editors

The RNLI has only three stations around the UK which use floating boat houses, one of which is located at Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex. The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea.

RNLI Media contacts

For more information, please contact Nicola Fletcher, RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer: [email protected]

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.