Harwich RNLI and Essex Police work together to assist casualty near Mistley Quay

The volunteer crew were paged shortly after 8.30am on 4 July 2026 and launched the B class ILB to head up the River Stour towards Mistley Quay.

At the request of HM Coastguard, and in line with RNLI policy on carrying agency personnel, two officers from Essex Police were fitted with RNLI personal protective equipment before joining the crew on board for the passage to the scene. This is standard procedure whenever the Coastguard asks for police to be present during a lifeboat tasking.

By the time the lifeboat arrived on scene, the casualty had already been recovered from the mud by a Coastguard mud rescue team and brought safely ashore. No further assistance was required from the lifeboat crew, who then returned to station.

Harwich RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer Adam Prescott said 'The tasking was a good example of the different emergency services working closely together, with the lifeboat, HM Coastguard and Essex Police each playing their part in bringing the incident to a safe conclusion.'

Notes to Editor

The RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) is the charity that saves lives at sea. Harwich Lifeboat Station, on The Quay, Harwich, was founded in 1829. The station currently operates the all-weather Severn class lifeboat Albert Brown and the B class inshore lifeboat Tierney, Harvey and Sonny Reid.

RNLI Media Contacts

For further information, please contact:

Adam Prescott, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI North and East, [email protected]

Clare Hopps, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for North East and East England, 07824 518641, [email protected]

Richard Grange, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for North East and East England, 07483 112015, [email protected]

RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [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.

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