Eastbourne Lifeboat Crews Respond to Back-to-Back Emergencies During Airshow

Eastbourne RNLI crews were called into action twice in quick succession on Saturday (16 August) as thousands of visitors attended Day 3 of the Eastbourne International Airshow. Four people cut off by tide near Belle Tout Lighthouse At 4:09pm, the RNLI’s All-Weather Lifeboat was approached by a vessel reporting that four people had become cut […]

Eastbourne RNLI crews were called into action twice in quick succession on Saturday (16 August) as thousands of visitors attended Day 3 of the Eastbourne International Airshow.

Four people cut off by tide near Belle Tout Lighthouse

At 4:09pm, the RNLI’s All-Weather Lifeboat was approached by a vessel reporting that four people had become cut off by the rising tide beneath Belle Tout Lighthouse.

Both Eastbourne lifeboats immediately launched to the scene. The inshore lifeboat (ILB) crew located the casualties stranded on a small rockfall with no safe escape route.

Helmsman Tom Mele made the decision to recover the group onto the ILB before transferring them to the All-Weather Lifeboat. The casualties were then safely landed at Holywell beach and placed into the care of Eastbourne Coastguard Rescue Officers.

Helmsman Mele later said:
“Before you depart on your journey, remember to check the tide times and carry a means of communication. Fortunately on this occasion it ended with a positive outcome and the crew responded in a swift and professional manner which saw the casualties transferred to a place of safety.”

Sailing vessel issues distress call

Barely an hour later, at 5:16pm, both lifeboats were returning to station when a Pan Pan distress call was received on VHF Channel 16 from a sailing vessel with a fouled anchor.

The RNLI crews were on scene within five minutes, but by the time they arrived the crew of the stricken vessel had managed to free the anchor by hand. After confirming the exhausted crew no longer required assistance, the lifeboats returned to station.