Today proved to be a busy day for Southend’s lifeboat crews, who were dispatched to four different rescue incidents across Southend seafront.
Southend’s volunteer lifeboat crews were already at the RNLI station at the end of the Pier running an open day when they received the first report of a woman stuck in mud on Thorpe Bay seafront.
14.00hrs: The search and rescue hovercraft was launched at and headed for Thorpe Bay seafront. The woman was located about 100 yards from the shore, near to The Halfway House pub on Thorpe Bay Esplanade.
The hovercraft crew managed to free the woman from the mud and took her safely ashore to be met by Southend Coastguard. She did not require any medical treatment and the hovercraft returned to the pier to continue with the RNLI open day.
15.10hrs: Southend’s inshore lifeboat was launched from the pier to two young boys who had been cut off by the incoming tide. They had been previously instructed by loudhailer to go back to shore but they had not followed the advice and were now unable to get back to the shore.
The lifeboat picked them up and then transferred them to the hovercraft that was in the area. The RNLI hovercraft took the lads back to the beach near the Pebbles Two cafe where they were met by Southend Coastguard.
16.00hrs: Reports came in of a missing boy off of Shoebury Common beach. The hovercraft was dispatched to the area to help with the search along with the police helicopter and Southend Coastguard.
The boy was found by his foster father but his foster mum was still out on the mud looking for him. The hovercraft crew located the woman a quarter of a mile out from the shore and returned her to the beach.
17.00hrs: Southend RNLI’s Atlantic 75 lifeboat was launched from the pier and sent to two people out by the Mulberry Harbour, who were in danger of being cut off by the incoming tide. The volunteer lifeboat crew located the two lads and advised them to return to shore. The lifeboat stood by to make sure all persons out on the mud in the dangerous area returned to shore safely.