Hoylake RNLI launches to multi-agency rescue of two people off New Brighton
When two people found themselves in difficulty in mud off New Brighton on Friday 24 April, Hoylake RNLI hovercraft joined a multi-agency effort to bring them to safety.
One of the casualties was in an electric wheelchair, which had become stuck on the North Bank near the tideline. With the tide flooding in, the Hoylake RNLI hovercraft Hurley Spirit and its volunteer crew was requested to launch by HM Coastguard at 12:31pm and launched to the scene.
Wirral and Flint Coastguard Rescue Teams and the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service had also been tasked and on reaching the casualties, found that the water was already covering the wheels of the wheelchair.
Once the hovercraft arrived, the teams worked together to recover the casualty from the wheelchair onto Hoylake Hovercraft, while the other casualty could make their own way ashore.
The hovercraft flew the casualty to the safety of the shore, where they were passed to the care of Coastguard officers. Coastguard and Fire Service officers were then able to extract the wheelchair from the mud and bring it ashore.
This was the first rescue in command of the hovercraft for volunteer Hoylake RNLI hovercraft commander Chris Gaskin.
Chris said:
‘The coordinated response ensured a swift and effective rescue and it was fortunate the alarm was raised in good time. We’re pleased both casualties could be assisted before the situation became more serious. It was a great example of a multi-agency effort between our RNLI crew, Coastguard Rescue Teams, and the Fire and Rescue Service.’
‘This incident highlights how quickly conditions can change along our coastline. Soft sand and mud are a common feature on local beaches and can pose a risk to safety, particularly with a flooding tide. We would always urge beachgoers to check tide times, keep an eye on their surroundings and stay clear of muddy areas. In an emergency at the coast, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.’
Media contacts
For more information, please contact:
Dan Whiteley, Hoylake RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer on 07799 851 316 or email [email protected]
Claire Fitzpatrick-Smith, RNLI Regional Communications Manager on 07977 728 315 or email [email protected]
RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789
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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.
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