In a recent incident on Wednesday 14 June, reports from concerned members of the public regarding an inflatable drifting out to sea in Seaford Bay led to a swift response from the Newhaven RNLI.
Before the lifeboat could set sail, the station received a phone call from individuals in Seaford Bay, informing them that they had successfully retrieved their inflatable back to the shore. However, due to conflicting descriptions of inflatable crafts received by HM Coastguard, the lifeboat proceeded with the search, supported by the Coastguard helicopter and Newhaven Coastguard.
During their search efforts, the Newhaven RNLI team successfully located and recovered two distinct inflatables—a lightweight dinghy and a doughnut-shaped inflatable.
The Newhaven RNLI expressed gratitude to the vigilant members of the public for promptly raising the alarm, emphasising the importance of early intervention. Newhaven Lifeboat stressed their preference for launching in potential incidents rather than arriving too late to offer assistance. They also advised the public to refrain from taking inflatables to the beach, recommending their use solely for pool environments.
The doughnut-shaped inflatable had been blown off the beach, but the Coastguard Rescue Team successfully located its owners and confirmed their safety. Furthermore, both individuals who were aboard the inflatable dinghy managed to swim back to Seaford Beach unharmed.
During this spell of warm weather, the authorities remind you to put your safety first when visiting the beach: up-to-date wind and tide information
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