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.

• Kempsey 15-04-24

  SARA was called out around midday to support West Mercia Police with the search for a missing man near Kempsey. Land search teams from SARA Stations at Tewkesbury, Wyre Forest, Cotswolds and Beachley all searched through until about 10pm, with a bit team from SARA Sharpness also searching the River Severn. Eventually the teams were stood down with nothing having been found.

  Sadly the body of a man was found in the river the following day.

  15th Apr 2024

  15th Apr 2024

• Newport 07-04-24

  The SARA Newport Lifeboat was called out late in the evening. A large object was drifting in the river, reported to be an unmanned vessel. Upon arrival it was found to be a very large and damaged pontoon, that had worked itself loose during the weekends high tides.
  The crew towed the pontoon to a place of safety and passed its position to the Police & Coastguard.

  7th Apr 2024

  7th Apr 2024

• Swindon 06-04-24

  This morning SARA responded to a request for mutual support from Wiltshire Search and Rescue, to search for a high risk missing person in Swindon. Team members from SARA stations at Beachley, Cotswolds, Tewkesbury attended, accompanied by colleagues from Lowland Rescue Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire Cave Rescue Group.

  Areas of woodland were searched in coordination with Wiltshire Police, but with nothing found the teams were stood down in mid-afternoon. The police operation remains ongoing.

  Many thanks to all who responded.

  6th Apr 2024

  6th Apr 2024

• River Severn #2 Beachley 31-03-24

  After recovering the lifeboats following from the yacht tow, the lifeboats were being washed down and made ready for service when one of our crew noticed that a jet ski had been washed off the slipway and was drifting down river. A decision was made, in consultation with HMCG, to relaunch SARA Lifeboat 1 and recover the jet ski.

  We launched with and made our way to the drifting vessel, took it under tow and made our way back to the slipway to hand it over to the waiting HM Coastguard Chepstow officers and the owner. We then recovered the lifeboat, washed it down for a second time, refuelled and made ready for its next service.

  31st Mar 2024

  31st Mar 2024

• River Severn #1 31-03-24

  While our lifeboat crews were doing their normal Sunday morning training, the Coastguard tasked us to attend a yacht in difficulty between the 2 Severn bridges. Two Beachley lifeboats, SARA 3 and SARA 1 responded. The crews established that the yacht was experiencing engine difficulties. We deployed our Coxswain Mechanic onboard the yacht, who diagnosed issues in the fuel filters. In consultation with HMCG it was agreed that we would escort the yacht to Lydney Yacht Club.

  As the yacht was not making good progress against the wind we took her under tow. SARA Lifeboat 2 from our Sharpness Station took over the tow partway, and together with the smaller SARA Lifeboat 4 took her to Lydney.

  31st Mar 2024

  31st Mar 2024

• Upper Lode, Tewkesbury 14-3-24

  We were called out at about 4pm, to assist a boat pinned against the boom by Upper Lode weir. With the river in flood conditions, the flow and power of the water meant they were in significant danger. Unable to move with the pressure of the glow pushing them sideways they did the right thing in calling for help!

  Team members from Tewkesbury, Upton and Sharpness launched Rescue 16 and 17 at Tewkesbury Flour Mill, and made the short journey down to assist the vessel in distress, rescuing it and it’s two very cold occupants. They were able to make their own way back up river after a brief check over.

  On the weir boom were also some pontoon segments (one belonging to the stricken vessel) which, shortly after the boat’s retrieval became dislodged from the boom and carried on downstream. We relaunched both boats below the weir and we were able to rescue these two sections.

  14th Mar 2024

  14th Mar 2024

• River Severn M4 SSC 05-03-24

  The SARA Beachley lifeboat crew were tasked by the Coastguard this morning, to investigate multiple activations of personal locator beacons (PLBs) at the POW Severn Bridge. These beacons are automatic safety devices used by people on or near water.

  We launched lifeboat SARA Lifeboat 1, which is equipped with a direction finder antenna tuned to the beacons. Coastguard Helicopter Rescue 187 was in the air, as well as HM Coastguard teams en route to the bridge via road.

  On arrival the crew liaised with a safety boat that was in place to cover rope access workers who were suspended under the bridge structure for maintenance. It appeared that one or more of the rope teams PLBs were inadvertently activated causing the launch of multiple assets.

  The coastguard identified the specific PLBs by their unique identification codes and confirmed we could stand down.

  Many thanks to all who responded.

  5th Mar 2024

  5th Mar 2024

• Newport 27-02-24

  Shortly after an engine service on Tuesday evening, SARA 14 was requested to launch to support South Wales FRS with an incident on the River Usk at Newport.

  The crew remained on scene and were stood down at 00.30

  27th Feb 2024

  27th Feb 2024

• Worcester 27-02-24

  Just after 8pm on Tuesday evening (27 Feb), SARA were asked by West Mercia Search & Rescue to assist with a search for a missing child in Worcester for West Mercia Police.

  Crews from our Wyre Forest and Tewkesbury stations quickly made their way to station to collect equipment and vehicles, and then to the RV alongside Warwickshire, , Staffordshire and Cheshire Search and Rescue Teams.

  All SAR assets searched until roughly 2am on Wednesday morning before standing down and returning home with nothing found.

  After a few hours sleep, all teams were put on standby for re-deployment pending further police investigation.

  Thankfully, the missing girl was located on the Thursday evening.

  27th Feb 2024

  27th Feb 2024

• Witney 18-02-24

  A Swift Water Rescue team from SARA Sharpness was deployed at 0800hrs tto assist Lowland Rescue Oxfordshire with an ongoing search in the Witney area.

  With nothing found, the team were stood down and returned to station at 1800hrs.

  18th Feb 2024

  18th Feb 2024