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Key: ILB - Inshore Lifeboat. ALB - All Weather Lifeboat. Times given are when the crew were paged/ tasked, in BST if applicable.

The tug, towing an enormous 105m by 40m barge had released her tow while the crew attempted to make repairs. The barge, which was empty and brand new, was being blown towards the east in storm force conditions.

Shortly after the lifeboat launched, the tug managed to restart her engines and start slow progress towards Southampton.

The lifeboat was then requested to make for the barge, which was being blown downwind at around 8 knots. Two crew members managed to get aboard and drop one of the huge 12ft anchors, which slowed the drift to about 3 knots.

However, worsening weather conditions made it too hazardous for the lifeboat to recover the two crewmen herself, so the Coastguard Helicopter Rescue India Juliett airlifted the pair and took them ashore.

The barge ended up near Seaford and anchored itself just off the beach, to await the arrival of another tug. pics

A houseboat had broken its moorings near Surry Hard up the river, and was presenting a hazard. It had already damaged 2 other vessels.

The ILB crew help re-establish the mooring and secure the boat before returning to station.

The vessel had entered Shoreham and suffered engine failure, and was then driven onto the beach by the wind,

The port pilot cutter had taken the vessel under tow, and the ILB assisted the tow through the locks to safety.

The inshore lifeboat was closely followed by the ALB, which was launched a few minutes later.

On arrival no persons were evident so an extensive search was carried out. However, there was still no sign of the individual so the boats were stood down, returning to station at around 3.15 am.

A motor cruiser had caught fire with one occupant aboard. Despite suffering serious burns he had escaped with the aid of another boat owner. However, his boat continued to burn and the fire spread to the vessel next to it.

When the ALB arrived on scene 22 minutes after launching, both vessels were well alight and the scene was dominated by thick, acrid smoke. The crew set about fighting the fire with the onboard fire pump, and the portable pump. A second portable pump was used to evacuate water from the burning hulls in an attempt to prevent them from sinking.

In company with East Sussex Fire Brigade the crew fought the fire for around 3 hours. It was eventually brought under control and extinguished, but the damage to the vessels was so severe that they both sunk at the pontoon.

The ALB returned to station at around midnight. video

As the vessel, which had gone aground on Kingston Beach next to the lifeboat station floated clear of the beach, the ALB towed her clear and to the locks.

Due to the now gale force conditions, the ILB was also launched to assist in passing lines.

The boat was secured on the lock lead-in, ready to be warped into the canal for attention to her failed engine.

The single handed skipper had entered Shoreham under sail with engine failure. Once inside the entrance he lost control, and the significant windage of the ketch's masts drove him onto Kingston Beach in the strong southerly winds.

The ILB crew assessed the vessel for damage then helped rig the anchor to aid him keeping the boat under control as she floated clear on the flood tide in several hours time. pic

On arrival the casualty was found to be in the water with two police officers.

Due to the very low tidal state he had suffered leg and back injuries, and was found to be cold and confused. He was stabilised in the water and then transferred to an ambulance stretcher.

The crew then helped carry him to an ambulance before returning to station.

The crew were tasked to search the vehicle and establish that no persons were trapped inside. Having done this they then assisted the Fire Service in attaching a strop to the vehicle to lift it clear of the water.

On inspection the vehicle appeared to have been stolen, and was not thought to have been occupied when it went into the water.

On arrival the crew found an occupant in the water near the sea defences, attempting to get the boat ashore. The vessel was taken under tow and with the occupant back aboard, it was taken to Emerald Quay up the river for recovery.

The 25' Jaguar sailing yacht had lost all power and become becalmed some 3 miles south of Worthing.

The fishing vessel 'Illusion' took the vessel under tow to Shoreham, where the tow was transferred to the ILB for the tricky negotiation into the locks.

The woman had entered the water of her own accord for the second time, possibly in an attempt to take her life.

The ILB proceeded to the scene but as the crew approached the beach a police officer waded into the surf and made a successful grab for the vulnerable woman.

She was taken into custody unhurt, and the ILB was stood down to return to station.

The vessel was taken under tow and returned to Shoreham where she is based. However, due to the rapidly ebbing tide she was placed on the layby near the locks, to be berthed later in the day.

The ALB was re-housed around 4.30am.

The surfer was recovered from the water and taken to the beach where he was met by the local coastguards.

On arrival the person was found to be in a small boat anchored, and fishing. Having established he was not in need of assistance the crew returned to station.

The vessel had lost engine power and was unable to enter Shoreham due to the low tide. She was therefore towed to Brighton Marina where there was enough depth for her to enter.

The cause of the failure was discovered to be fuel starvation.

With conditions gusting up to force 5, the crew launched and reached the scene, despite rough conditions and a head wind, in 14 minutes. They found 3 youths in a small toy inflatable around 100 metres offshore.

The crew took the occupants aboard and deflated the inflatable. They then transferred the youths ashore, at one point the lifeboat being almost capsized by breaking surf.

Once the youths were safely ashore, the ILB returned to station.

The Lancing sailing club safety boat had recovered an abandoned surf kite in the water, and had reason to suspect the owner may have drifted towards Shoreham on the flooding tide.

With a fresh offshore breeze blowing, Solent Coastguard requested the immediate launch of Shoreham ILB to search for the missing surfer.

However, as the crew arrived the owner had made himself known to the Coastguard mobile unit on scene. It transpired his kite had filled in the strong breeze and had got away from him, leaving him on or near the beach.

Satisfied that no person was in danger, the ILB was stood down and returned to station.

As the crew left the harbour they were re-tasked to a small inflatable up river near Soldiers Point that was taking water.

The ILB broke off the original tasking and attended the inflatable, which they helped ashore.

The crew then returned to the original task, finding the speedboat almost on the beach, with its anchor dragging and one of the occupants in the water. He re-entered the boat which was then taken under tow back into the harbour.

The Lifeboat took the casualty under tow and returned it to Shoreham, where the tow was handed over to the ILB.

The ILB crew then took the vessel up river to its mooring and assisted the occupants with berthing before returning to station.

As the crew arrived on scene, the inflatable craft, with 2 persons on board, had managed to restart the engine, and the ILB escorted them back into the harbour.

In seas up to 3 meters in height, the vessel was taken under tow, and due to the weather conditions arrived at Shoreham some 4 hours later.

The lifeboat was refuelled and was ready for service at around 1.30 pm

On arrival they found an adult and a child, as well as an adult friend that had attempted to swim to the vessel to render assistance.

Having treated those that had entered the water for the effects of cold, the crew returned some of them ashore and then set about attempting to re-float the craft.

Once the boat was re-floated it was towed back down river to near its mooring, and the occupants were handed over into the care of the Shoreham mobile Coastguard unit.

After an extensive search no vessel was found to be in difficulties, and the ILB was stood down, the call logged as a false alarm with good intent.

The caller had been observing a small inflatable off Shoreham Beach and suspected the occupants might be in distress.

Once on scene it became apparent the occupants were not in difficulty. The ILB therefore returned to station, the call logged as a false alarm with good intent.

A beachgoer had become concerned that her partner, who was swimming on the beach off the Church of the Good Shepherd, was in distress.

The ILB reached the scene 11 minutes after being tasked and picked up the swimmer, who was tired but otherwise well. He was landed on the beach and placed in the care of the local Coastguard unit.

The craft was taken under tow and returned to Shoreham Harbour.

The crew proceeded to the scene and found a small beach style child's inflatable which may have been lost and carried out to sea.

As there were no indications of any casualties, the crew recovered the inflatable and returned to station.

The boat was re-housed shortly after mid day.

The boat had become stranded up river after suffering outboard failure, and with a strong ebb tide and a fresh breeze was in danger of being blown out to sea.

The boat was towed to Kingston Beach for recovery by its owners.

The individuals had apparently been interfering with a moored fishing boat. When the ILB arrived they had swum ashore and were in the care of the police.

The ILB crew recovered the tender and assisted the fishing boat owner in examining his boat, before returning to station.

The vessel was towed in and handed over to a smaller vessel to take her through the locks.

On arrival on scene the crew interviewed some members of the public, and found that the group had dispersed and left the area.

The ILB was stood down and returned to station.

The crew were tasked to 3 separate incidents during the course of the afternoon, beginning with a call to 3 children floating out from the beach in a small inflatable. On this occasion they had made it ashore by the time the crew reached them.

The boat was then tasked to a broken down jetski which was recovered to the harbour.

Lastly the boat was sent to respond to a number of 999 calls concerning 2 speedboats which had been towing 'doughnut' style rubber rings at speed, close inshore and among swimmers. The crew offered some safety advice to the individuals concerned.

In addition the ILB provided safety cover, along with Brighton ILB, to the 'Paddle round the Pier' event at Brighton.

The boat had suffered broken steering gear. It was located and towed back to the harbour to a berth near Emerald Quay.

The boy had apparently been pushed off the arm by his friends into the water - his friends being unaware of the depth at that point.

Upon exiting the water he collapsed, complaining of neck and back pain; it is possible he had struck an object, or the bottom when he entered the water.

As the ambulance crew were treating for a suspected spinal injury, the ILB crew assisted them in immobilising the casualty and moving him to the ambulance.

The swimmer had entered the water near the railway bridge and got into difficulties. There had been reports she had been screaming for help. A passing rescue boat, crewed by an off duty coastguard officer, had rescued the woman from the water, and an ambulance was in attendance.

The ILB crew assisted the ambulance crew before returning to station.

On arrival, the area was searched and a dan buoy matching the description was identified.

Satisfied the call was a false alarm with good intent, the ALB returned to station.

The ILB joined Brighton ILB and the Police helicopter H900 to comprehensively search an area from Brighton Marina to West Hove. The swimmer was not found and the ILB was stood down shortly after 5pm.

While the ILB was involved with the search, the ALB was launched to a sinking jetski to the east of Shoreham Harbour. 2 adults and 1 child were rescued and taken back to the harbour, together with the waterlogged craft.

In order to stabilise the leg and move the casualty, his ski had to be cut free by the crew. The casualty was given pain relief and the ski removed.

His leg was then immobilised with an inflatable splint and he was transferred to the ALB and taken back to the boathouse where he was transferred to an ambulance.

On arrival the area was searched, and after discussions with witnesses ashore it was established that the swimmer had made it ashore.

The crewman had been hit by a spinnaker pole and had sustained a head injury.

The Brighton crew, who reached the casualty first, took him off the yacht and back to the marina, where he was transferred to a waiting ambulance.

A member of the Brighton crew remained aboard the casualty vessel to help them enter the marina and berth under their own power.

The boat had suffered complete mechanical failure despite having a spare engine, and was without power.

The vessel was taken under tow and returned to Emerald Quay in the River Adur.

In thick fog the ALB located the vessel and transferred the doctor aboard.

The sick crewman was assessed as requiring hospital treatment, so was moved onto the ALB and brought back to the lifeboat station. There he was transferred to a waiting ambulance, and taken to hospital for further treatment.

On arrival, the board was found to have been there some time and anchored to the river bed with a car battery!

Satisfied that no persons were in distress, the ILB returned to station.

As the crew arrived on scene, it was confirmed that the casualty had made it ashore, and was being treated for cold by the local coastguard unit.

The ILB was therefore stood down.

The vessel had suffered an engine fire off Beachy Head, and had 708 people on board.

MCGA press release, issued at 07:11:

Dover Coastguard is assisting a passenger ship, Calypso, which has a fire in its engine room. The vessel has 708 people onboard – 246 crew and 462 passengers. The ship broadcast a mayday message at 4.00 am.

Dover Coastguard has alerted the Marine Incident Response Group, which responds to incidents at sea, and search and rescue units are now on scene. These are:
• Coastguard helicopter India Juliet
• Hastings, Eastbourne, Newhaven and Shoreham lifeboats
• French lifeboats and helicopters
• Coastguard tug, Anglian Monarch
• Other merchant vessels in the area
Air Rescue Co-ordination Centre Kinloss have been informed and are activating air assets.


Spike Hughes, Dover Coastguard Rescue Co-ordination Centre manager says:
A fire fighting team is onboard the Coastguard Rescue helicopter. The team are about to go on board the vessel and assess the situation.
The passengers and crew are in lifeboats on the vessel as a precautionary measure, in case they are required to evacuate. However, the crew is fighting the fire and it appears to be coming under control.

The vessel is Cypriot flagged and crewed. It has mainly British passengers onboard and was on route from Tilbury to St Peterport when the incident happened 20 miles south west of Beachy Head.

In the event the fire was brought under control and the full evacuation was not carried out. All 4 RNLI lifeboats stood by while fire crews and investigators were flown in.

The Calypso was subsequently taken under tow by the MCA tug Anglian Monarch and towed to Southampton. Shoreham's ALB was stood down once the vessels were under way.

The ALB towed the vessel clear of the banks, and established it was undamaged. She then escorted her to Brighton Marina, to ensure the remainder of the passage was event free!

The lifeboat re-entered Shoreham at around 22:45.

The yacht was taken under tow and returned to the harbour.

As the crew arrived on scene the surfer had made it ashore on his own, but had ditched his kite to enable him to reach the shore. The ILB crew recovered the kite and equipment, and returned it to the surfer on the beach.

On arrival the crew found the surfer tangled in his lines, exhausted and cold. They freed him from the kite and took back him to the Lifeboat Station where an ambulance took him to Worthing Hospital with suspected hypothermia.

On arrival the vessel was found to have her propeller fouled by a rope, and was therefore taken under tow and returned to Shoreham Harbour.