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.

• Wintours Leap, Chepstow 29-06-24

  Towards the end of Saturday afternoon, our rope rescue team was called out to Wintours Leap. A climber had fallen a short distance in the area below The Broadwalk ledge, and initially thought he had broken a leg.

  This was a real multi-agency response, with HART paramedics quickly on scene together with a SARA doctor, the police closing the road, a Coastguard helicopter on standby and rope team leaders SARA and Fire working out the best solution. A lifeboat was initially tasked but it was very low tide in the Wye so this was stood down.
  Once he had been assessed and reassured, the casualty was able to walk, albeit slowly. A rope system was set up to support him, and the attendant helping him, to steadily ascend up ‘Easy Way Down’. From there he was assisted to the waiting ambulance. We wish him a speedy recovery.

  29th Jun 2024

  29th Jun 2024

• Cinderford 23-06-24

  At around 2330, the Land Search Team was requested by Gloucestershire Policeto support the search for a vulnerable elderly man on the eastern side of the Forest of Dean.

  Team members from SARA Tewkesbury, Cotswolds and Beachley were arriving on scene at around 0045 when the missing man was located safe by the Police.
  Many thanks to all who responded.

  23rd Jun 2024

  23rd Jun 2024

• Gloucester 07 & 08-06-24

  Yesterday (Friday) evening we were again called out by Gloucestershire Constabulary, at around 10pm, and asked to assist in a multi-agency search for a high risk missing person in an area to the north of Gloucester.

  SARA team members from our stations at Beachley, Sharpness, Tewkesbury, Wyre Forest, and Cotswolds all responded. We conducted searches along with the Police and Fire Service, supported by the Ambulance Service and the Coastguard Helicopter Rescue 187.

  In the early hours of this morning (Saturday), the missing person was located by the CG helicopter alive and well.

  8th Jun 2024

  8th Jun 2024

• Edgehills, Cinderford 06-06-23

  We were called out shortly after 1330 yesterday afternoon, to support Gloucestershire Police with a search for a vulnerable missing person in the Edgehills area of the Forest of Dean.

  Land search team members from SARA stations at Beachley, Tewkesbury, Upton and Cotswolds responded; the missing person was located safe by the police as our first crew were arriving at the RV. They were then checked over by a SARA team paramedic.

  6th Jun 2024

  6th Jun 2024

• Sedbury, Chepstow 25 & 26-05-21

  The week long river search at Chepstow reached its sad conclusion on Sunday morning.

  As we reported earlier the SARA Beachley team was deployed on Monday and Tuesday, along with colleagues from SARA Newport.

  On Thursday (23 May) the Beachley boats SARA Lifeboats 1 and 3 conducted a high water search of the River Wye up as far as Lancault.

  Then on Saturday (25 May) we arranged – together with the Police – to work with colleagues from Oxfordshire Search & Rescue to conduct a search with their dog trained specifically for water searches, and their advanced sonar.

  The search dog worked from our small boat Rescue 5, whilst SARA Lifeboat 3 supported an OxSAR boat which was conducting sonar searches. Extensive searches were conducted but nothing was found.

  Then just after 0700 on Sunday (26 May) we were paged by HM Coastguard to the area of St Pierre Pill, just downriver from the mouth of the Wye. SARA Lifeboats 1 and 3 were launched again, and working with Chepstow Coastguard retrieved the body which was handed over to the police and ambulance service.

  We are glad that we could help to bring this sad search to a conclusion, and our thoughts remain very much with the family and friends of the young man concerned.

  Many thanks to Lowland Rescue Oxfordshire for the support.

  26th May 2024

  26th May 2024

• Gloucester 24-05-24

  At 1217 this afternoon, whilst SARA Lifeboat 6 from SARA Sharpness was escorting the tall ships along the Gloucester And Sharpness Canal, we were informed by the Canal & River Trust of a male in the River Severn near the Gloucester Quay wall.

  Our lifeboat made best speed along the canal and through Gloucester lock to the location, where the male was located holding on to a life ring which had been thrown by a passer by. Our crew recovered him from the water and into the boat where he was handed over to the Ambulance Service.

  Thank you to the Canal and River Trust for their swift actions in creating a clear route for our lifeboat, opening several bridges and preparing the lock for our arrival.
  Also in attendance were Gloucestershire Constabulary, Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service and the Ambulance Service.

  24th May 2024

  24th May 2024

• Worcester 23-04-24

  Crew from our Wyre Forest, Upton and Tewkesbury stations deployed to Worcester this morning, alongside West Mercia Search & Rescue, to assist West Mercia Police with a missing person investigation.

  Specialist boat crew and land search technicians quickly arrived on scene and carried out multiple searches along the River Severn.

  Thankfully, in the middle of the afternoon, the missing girl was located by our police colleagues.
  This was another great example of multiple agencies coming together to assist our local community.
  We would like to thank the Worcester Sea Scouts for allowing us to launch the boats on their slipway, Howdens Worcester for allowing the land teams to park on the carpark and also a resident of King Stephen’s Mount for allowing the teams to access the search area via their garden.

  23rd May 2024

  23rd May 2024

• Sedbury, Chepstow 20 & 21-05-24

  At 1800 on Monday (20 May) the Coastguard asked SARA to respond to a report of a person in the water near Sedbury. We launched lifeboat SARA1 within 10 minutes and began a search of the area. We then launched SARA Lifeboat 3 and requested further assistance from our sister station at Newport who sent SARA Lifeboat14 and a full crew to assist.

  The 3 SARA lifeboats carried out several search patterns while Coastguard helicopter Rescue 187 searched overhead and HM Coastguard Chepstow officers coordinated the search and carried out bank searches. The lifeboats returned to station at 2230 as they needed refuelling and as some crew had been out searching for almost 4 hours.

  The following morning, Tuesday 21 May, theCcoastguard asked us to continue the search around the time of low water. SARA 3 was launched and made an initial search. In addition, we launched Rescue 5, our flood rescue boat as it is capable of operating in much shallower water. We were also requested to provide additional land search resources so our land team was also called out to help with the search. Rescue 5 conducted coordinated searches with Chepstow Coastguard search teams and our own SARA land team colleagues. At low water Rescue 5 then made a final pass down the River Wye. At this point the river was so low that at times the crew had to lift the engine and paddle through the shallower sections.

  Unfortunately none of our boat or land teams found anything. Our thoughts are with the family of the person we were looking for. The search is continuing.

  21st May 2024

  21st May 2024

• Caerleon 15-05-24

  SARA Newport responded to their 16th callout of the year today.

  The tasking was to assist police with an incident near Caerleon. They were stood down en route, as the incident had been resolved by on scene police officers.

  15th May 2024

  15th May 2024

• Sharpness 13-05-24

  SARA Sharpness was called out at 12:23hrs with a request from Gloucestershire Police to assist with a person stuck on the foreshore, just down river from the lifeboat station.

  Within 15 minutes, SARA Lifeboat 4 was launched with 3 crew on board and the casualty was quickly located. Crew were put ashore, where they assessed the casualty and were able to return them to station safely by boat.

  The casualty was then handed over to the waiting police, S4 was recovered, cleaned and put back in service at 13:10hrs. Thanks to everyone for a quick and efficient response.

  13th May 2024

  13th May 2024