New Brighton RNLI tasked during Storm Amy
New Brighton RNLI’s volunteer crew were put to the test in tricky conditions, when tasked during Storm Amy on Saturday 4 October.
The pagers sounded at 12:46pm for New Brighton RNLI’s Atlantic-85 lifeboat crew, alerting them to reports of a person in the water in the Liverpool Pier Head vicinity.
Alongside other assets from Marine Fire and Rescue and HM Coastguard, New Brighton’s inshore lifeboat, Charles Dibdin, launched just after 1pm.
The lifeboat battled poor conditions to reach the incident, during Storm Amy, which was battering coastlines across the UK.
In strong north westerly winds, at force 7 and above (near gale), measuring between 28-33 knots, or around 35mph. In moderate visibility and a falling tide, this resulted in a rough sea state too, with waves between 2.5-4m.
The incident was resolved a short time later, at approximately 1:45pm, with the lifeboat returning to station to wash down and ready for service once more.
There was a further call out for New Brighton’s ILB on the evening of Sunday 5 October, when pagers sounded at approximately 9:50pm to reports of a vessel run aground in the Leasowe Bay area. This incident was stood down very quickly. Thankfully, by Sunday evening, the worst of Storm Amy had passed, though sea state was still moderate to choppy (1.25-2.5m waves), with a moderate breeze (force 4, 11-16 knots) blowing through.
Tom McGinn, helm for Saturday’s tasking, said:
‘Storm conditions are always tricky for those on the water. It’s a time to be extra vigilant and ensure that safety measures are taken. Always wear a lifejacket, carry a means of communication, call 999 if you are in difficulty. Thankfully, the excellent training that the RNLI provides had well prepared our crew for such conditions, and they performed admirably in the rough weather.’
Notes to Editors:
New Brighton RNLI was established in 1863 in the bustling seaside resort of New Brighton, on the northeast corner of the Wirral peninsula. They cover the River Mersey and out into the Irish Sea.
The station is home to a B-class Atlantic 85 lifeboat, one of the fastest in the RNLI fleet. The crews at New Brighton have been presented with a remarkable 48 awards for gallantry to date.
RNLI Media Contacts:
For more information, please contact:
Connor Wray
Lifeboat Press Officer/ILB Crew
New Brighton RNLI
07756553092
Emily Craven
Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer/ILB Crew
New Brighton RNLI
07986119684
Claire Fitzpatrick-Smith
Regional Communications Manager
07977728315
Danielle Rush
Regional Communications Lead
+441745538995
Or RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI is the charity that 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 146,700 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, TikTok 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.