Incidents

We are tasked by the emergency services, including HM Coastguaard, Fire & Rescue, Police and the Ambulance Services. Our teams are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Below are the callouts that we have attended.

• #104: River Severn near Lydney

  SARA received an immediate launch request at 1257hrs by Milford Haven Coastguard to assist with a boat aground in the Severn near Lydney. SARA Lifeboat 2 was launched (after only just arriving back on station) and proceeded to a vessel seen not moving off Lydney dock entrance. Upon approaching the vessel it was confirmed this was not the casualty and a lat/long was received from the Coastguard pin pointing the casualties exact location.
  A course was then plotted around the sandbanks to the last known location. After this, the vessel was quickly located and due to the tide height, a very cautious approach was made. We managed to get close enough to deploy a throw bag to use as a heaving line for the main tow line.
  With just 0.5m under the keel and the tide quickly falling, the crew had 1 attempt to get this right. This was successful and a tow line was quickly secured. The vessel was then slowly towed astern to keep SARA 2’s engines in the deeper water. After re-floating, we accompanied the yacht into deeper water and were then stood down by the coastguard.
  A great job by all involved and shows that even experienced, well equipped sailors can still come into difficulty. Fortunately the casualties were well prepared with a VHF so they could quickly raise the alarm!

  10th Oct 2020

  10th Oct 2020

• #103: Brockweir 10-10-20

  SARA conducted a large search operation this, from 4am until 1pm. We were tasked by Gloucestershire Constabulary with a search for a lady missing from Brockweir since the previous evening.
  A combination of land search teams from SARA Beachley and Tewkesbury Stations, along with Beachley’s Lifeboat 3 and inland Rescue Boat 5, searched a long stretch of the Wye and its banks, and other areas of interest in the Brockweir area.
  We are grateful to the villagers and to Brockweir and Hewelsfield Village Shop, as well as the Police, for supplying refreshments and breakfast to our volunteers during the morning.
  The search was eventually called off for the day with nothing having been found, with the police operation ongoing.
  *The following day (Sunday 11 Oct) SARA heard from the Police that the lady had subsequently been seen on a bus, safe and well.

  10th Oct 2020

  10th Oct 2020

• #102: Redditch 03-10-20

  Crews from Wyre Forest and Tewkesbury Stations, along with colleagues from Warwickshire Search and Rescue were called to assist West Mercia Police with a missing person investigation in the Redditch area this morning.
  Sadly, during the search efforts a body was discovered in late afternoon. Search teams assisted the police with recovery.
  The thoughts of the crew are with the family and friends.

  3rd Oct 2020

  3rd Oct 2020

• #101: Portishead 22-09-20

  SARA Lifeboat 1 ‘The Jim Hewitt’ was launched just after 5pm, to go to the aid of a dismasted yacht south of the M4 Second Severn Crossing. She had raised a distress alert with two red flares which had been spotted.
  The call was almost at the bottom of tide. With the Coastguard coordinating, the yacht was initially assisted by a tug from Avonmouth until we arrived. We were then able to tow her into to Portishead which was too shallow for the tug, and once there we handed over to Portishead Coastguard Rescue Team at the Pier Head.
  By this time the tide had turned, but SARA 1 still to wait off Beachley for sufficient water to allow her to be recovered shortly before 8pm.

  22nd Sep 2020

  22nd Sep 2020

• #100: Chepstow River Wye 20-09-20

  As Beachley lifeboat training was finishing, the team was asked to support Chepstow Coastguard with a vessel in the Wye which had had engine failure. SARA Lifeboat 1 went back out and round Beachley Point into the Wye. The small boat did manage to re-start her engine, and the SARA Lifeboat then escorted her back Beachley and the crew helped everyone to recover their boats.

  20th Sep 2020

  20th Sep 2020

• #99: Hillhampton, Worcester 20-09-20

  We were tasked to support West Mercia Police with a pre-planned missing person search in the area of Hillhampton, near Worcester, from 0930.
  Land search teams from SARA Tewkesbury and Wyre Forest and a water rescue team from SARA Sharpness worked alongside West Mercia Search & Rescue and Warwickshire Search and Rescue.
  With nothing found, the team were stood down at 1630hrs. Currently the search remains ongoing and our thoughts are with the family and friends of the missing man.

  20th Sep 2020

  20th Sep 2020

• #98: Monmouth 13-09-20

  Water rescue teams from SARA Beachley and Newport called out to Monmouth around 0520, to support South Wales Fire & Rescue Service with a search. Teams then worked with Ambulance HART to resolve the situation around 0800.

  13th Sep 2020

  13th Sep 2020

• #97: Quenington (Cirencester) 12-09-20

  Land Search teams from SARA Beachley and Tewkesbury and a water rescue team from SARA Sharpness were called out around 1800, to support Gloucestershire Constabulary with a missing person search near Cirencester.
  They were joined by colleagues from Wiltshire Search and Rescue, Oxfordshire Search and Rescue, Gloucestershire Cave Rescue Group and SARDA South Wales, and together the teams searched a large area around Quenington until the small hours.
  The searchers were stood down around 2am with nothing having been found, and were preparing to restart the search the following day (Sun 13 Sep) in daylight, when the missing man was found safe. Many thanks to all who responded.

  12th Sep 2020

  12th Sep 2020

• #96: Severn Beach 11-09-20

  Beachley’s SARA Lifeboat 3 was called out by the Coastguard just before 1030, the reports of a person in difficulties in the water near Severn Beach.
  The lifeboat crew investigated but the person concerned turned out to be a fisherman stood in water. No doubt this was a false alarm with good intent.

  11th Sep 2020

  11th Sep 2020

• #95: Oldbury Sands 09-09-20

  The SARA Beachley lifeboat crew were called out around 3pm to reports of an 18 ft cabin cruiser which had suffered engine failure and run aground.
  Later in the evening in a planned operation, as darkness was falling a different SARA crew again launched Lifeboat 3, and were able to tow the casualty vessel back to Beachley.

  9th Sep 2020

  9th Sep 2020