Portsmouth RNLI respond to two shouts back to back

The first call came at 5:47pm, when the D-class inshore lifeboat was requested to launch to reports of a person stuck in the mud near Eastney Lake, unable to return to shore after their tender became grounded. The casualty had been prevented from making progress due to a strong wind and tidal conditions pushing them further onto the mudbank.

The lifeboat launched promptly and made best speed to the scene, where crew located the casualty who had been attempting to reach shore for over an hour. Crew members entered the mud to assist the individual to safety before transferring them onto the lifeboat along with their tender.

The casualty, who was cold but otherwise in good spirits, was brought safely back to shore and handed into the care of Portsmouth Coastguard Rescue Team.

As the crew were in the process of recovering the lifeboat at the station, their pagers sounded again at approximately 6:20pm. The crew immediately relaunched and proceeded to Hayling seafront to assist Hayling RNLI following reports of a kite surfer in difficulty and a possible second person in the water.

On arrival, it was confirmed that the kite surfer had been recovered safely by Hayling RNLI and there were no further persons unaccounted for. Portsmouth ILB was subsequently stood down and returned to station.

Portsmouth RNLI volunteer crewmember Paul Castle said: "This evening shows how quickly we can go from one job straight into another. We’re always ready to respond, but we’d urge anyone heading out to be aware of the conditions and the tide, and to carry a means of calling for help."

The lifeboat was recovered, refuelled and made ready for service again at 7:42pm.


Notes to editors

• Portsmouth RNLI operates both a D-class and an Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat, enabling the station to respond to a wide range of incidents along the coastline.
• The D-class lifeboat is designed for shallow water rescues close to shore, including areas such as mudflats, harbours and estuaries.
• Portsmouth RNLI is a volunteer lifeboat station, with crew on call 24/7 to respond to emergencies at sea and along the coastline.
• The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea, relying on volunteers and public donations to maintain its lifesaving service.

For more information, please contact Abi Hinton, Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer at [email protected], or Jess Curtis, Regional Communications Manager at [email protected]

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.