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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.

As both boats were launching a member of the public entered the water to attempt a rescue. Fortunately both persons made it ashore very quickly and the boats were stood down as they approached the harbour entrance.

The original casualty was taken to hospital having taken in large amounts of water.

The crew located the object and were able to confirm that it was indeed a human body. However due to the very rough sea conditions they were unable to recover it so close to the shore without risking damage to the lifeboat and potential injuries to the crew.

The boat was therefore stood down and the body recovered by shore based coastguard units later in the day.

The boats joined the Shoreham Pilot Cutter in making a thorough search of the area - no persons or debris were located.

Some elements of the original call had led Coatsguards to conclude it may have been a hoax call - a thankfully rare event at Shoreham. With the area thoroughly searched and nothing found the search was called off, the original cxall being classified as a probable hoax.

Upon launching it was established that the 1st informant had seen what she believed a divers SMB been carried out to sea by the wind and tide. Once on scene Shoreham ILB conducted a search of the area assisted by Shoreham pilot boat.

The pilot cutter located the object, a blue plastic bag, which was believed to be the SMB.

Shoreham ILB then returned to the 1st informant to confirm what had been picked up was what had been seen. Having confirmed the plastic bag as that what the informant had seen a search of the area was conducted for the missing diver.

After an extensive search both by the ILB and Coastguard mobile units, and having found nothing Shoreham ILB was stood down and returned to station.

However as the boat was about to leave the pontoon the casualty was located ashore and the launch cancelled.

After a brief search the ILB crew identified two likely, muddy suspects in the car park at the Adur Centre and detained them until the Police arrived.

The ILB crew then returned to station leaving Sussex Police to continue their enquiries.

After an initial shoreline search by the Brighton crew the search area was increased. Covering this area took the two boats around four hours, after which they were stood down with no-one found.

On arrival the crew found oars in the dinghy, so a search was made of the river banks and moored boats from Soldiers point to the foot bridge.

With no sign of anyone in the water the dinghy was taken to Silversands and the ILB returned to station.

The boat with a family of 4 aboard had an electrical fault and was unable to start her engine. With all those aboard being fit and well the ILB crew established a tow and towed the boat back to Surrey Hard where they were based.

The vessel had suffered a fuel supply problem and was without power. It was towed back to Shoreham and moored on the lock lead-in awaiting sufficient water to re-enter the canal.

The small craft was located, almost completely deflated, and containing 2 pieces of driftwood which appeard to have been used to row it.

A thorough search was made of the river banks and all moored vessels but no persons were found and the ILB was stood down.

In conjunction with the Sussex Police helicopter, an extensive search was carried out between the harbour entrance and Hove lagoon. Despite searching for almost 3 hours nothing could be found and the search was ended.

The vessel was taken under tow back to Brighton Marina.

However an extensive search revealed nothing and the call transpired as a false alarm with good intent.

The casualty was injured during a gybe and had suffered a suspected broken shoulder. He was taken aboard the ALB and given first aid, while 2 lifeboat crewmen boarded the yacht to assist the remaining, inexperienced crewman.

While the yacht was being motored back to Shoreham, the ALB was diverted to a kitesurfer in distress off Lancing. The crew made best speed to the casualty but he managed to make shore unassisted before the boat arrived on scene.

The ALB therefore returned to Shoreham to place the casualty into the care of an ambulance. His yacht was motored to the Sussex Yacht Club visitors mooring to await recovery.

The 2 youngsters, aged 13, had drifted off Hove beach in a toy inflatable and had called for help on their mobile phone after becoming lost in the darkness. They were extremely scared, cold and had no idea where they were.

Solent Coastguard used modern mobile phone tracking software to locate them approximately 85 yeards off the beach near the King Alfred, Hove. Using this very accurate fix the ILB crew located the pair within around 9 minutes of lauching. They were found to be extremely distressed and suffering the effects of cold.

The ILB crew rushed them back to the station at Shoreham where an ambulance was waiting. One of the children became unresponsive during the return trip due to the effects of extreme cold and had to be coaxed back into consciousness on board.

On arrival at Shoreham they were handed over to the on scene paramedics and transferred to Worthing Hospital.

This incident graphically demonstrated the dangers of children using small inflatables near the beach in the summer. Nightfall had come very quickly and the warm summers day quickly deteriotated into a very cold and frightening night for these 2 youngsters. Thanks to modern tracking software and the training of the ILB crew, they were located and rescued before matters got any worse.

The crew quickly located the rig and could find no trace of the owner, although the rig appeared to have been collapsed at sea deliberately.

Unsure of whether this pointed to a missing person, the ILB commenced a search and was joined by both lifeboats from Littlehampton and the Coastguard rescue helicopter.

The Shoreham ALB was also paged to launch and brought to readyness, but at the last minute the potential owner of the kite became known and was ashore safe.

He was asked to meet the ILB crew at the boathouse where he confirmed the kite was his and gratefully took ownership of it.

All search units were therefore stood down.

Arco Dee stood by the casualty vessel approx 1NM to the East of them, bearing 080 degrees from them.

On clearing Shoreham Harbour entrance, ALB proceeded at best speed on a heading of 145 degrees in rough seas coming from the South West. The ALB was guided towards the casualty vessel by Arco Dee as due to the heavy seas, the small yacht was invisible to the naked eye, or Radar until the ALB closed to within one & a half miles of the casualty.

The yacht continued to sail downwind (to the East) in order to maintain some stability, lengthening the time before the ALB over-hauled it from the West.

The ALB was initially unable to receive tranmissions from the casualty due to conditions, then established comms.which confirmed the casualty vessel by VHF/DF.

On arrival in Pos 50.48.214N, 000.09.340W, after confirmation that the crew on the yacht were ok, the tow rope was passed with a heaving line & the Dynema bridle. The seas rose & wind strength increased, causing a number of large seas to break over both the ALB & the casualty during the tow towards Brighton Marina, initially to the North East & then to the North West to enter the Marina, where seas were breaking over the Cassons.

The backwash in the Marina entrance made life unpleasent for a short time. When inside the Marina in calm conditions, the casualty was handed to the Marina workboat for berthing, details were exchanged and Shoreham CG mobile were on scene. After being released by HMCG Solent, the ALB returned to Shoreham.

They arrived at Brighton Marina around midnight and took the casualty directly to the fueling pontoon before returning to station.

At 14:38 the ALB was launched to 2 simultaneous taskings - a fishing boat that had lost power and a dive boat that was being overwhelmed by strengthening winds.

The dive boat was towed in to harbour and assisted through the canal. The ALB then went to fetch the fishing boat. As the crew were finishing with this vessel the ALB was re-tasked to a Belgian yacht in distress that was found and towed back to Shoreham also.

Then at 22:38 both boats were launched to a man in the water west of Worthing Pier. Littlehamptons lifeboat was also launched and 2 Police Officers were placed aboard Shoreham's ILB as the individual was known to be violent.

The man, who was attempting suicide, was taken aboard the ILB and taken ashore for treatment.

The owner had lost control of the boat and attempted to deploy the anchor before abandoning the boat for the beach. He was also feeling unwell.

He was taken to hospital by ambulance while the ILB crew pumped the boat out and took it to the locks to be moored in the canal to await his return.

On arrival the crews found the object to be a mooring buoy and the boats were stood down to return to station.

The boat was found and the occupants found to be safe and well.

The crew were then re-tasked to a group of tombstoners at Norfolk Bridge.

The group were located and given advice along with local Coastguard officers.

The owner, who was very tired after a day long passage, had attempted to beach the boat using beaching legs but they were sucked into the soft mud and the boat had fallen over.

The owner was taken ashore for a rest and for his own safety while the ILB crew and coasguard units righted the boat on the flooding tode and checked for damage.

Once the vessel was deesed to be sound the owner returned and the crew assisted him through the locks into the canal.

On arrival the man was found to be confused and swimming with a large piece of MDF attached round his neck by a rope.

He was taken aboard and handed over to Sussex Police for his own safety.

The boat was quickly towed clear of the wall and rigged for an alongside tow in the harbour. It was then taken into the Prince George lock for recovery into the canal.

With both boats on route the casualty was found to be ashore with his rig. However, a second incident was developing on the beach at Lancing, and the boats were asked to proceed there in case assistance was required.

Sadly the incident involved an elderly lady who had not survived, and as it was established there was no maritime involvelemt the boats were stood down to return to station.

When clear of the berth and proceeding Solent CG informed us that the casualty had been located approx a quarter of a mile East of Worthing Pier. He was believed to be at anchor approx 20 yardsfrom the shore between the groynes.

Once on scene the ALB quickly established the tow with the assistance of a local fishing boat that was standing by the casualty. An ALB crewman was put onboard the casualty to monitor the situation for the return journey to Shoreham Harbour.

It is believed the casualty was on passage from Bosham to Brighton Marina when they ran in to difficulty with machinery failure, a South Easterly head wind and ebbing tide.

Once back in to Shoreham Harbour the Yachts small outboard motor was started by our crewman, this meant we could release the tow and recover our crewman to the Lifeboat whilst standing by the casualty as he made his own way in to the lock.

Shoreham mobile coastguard were in the lock waiting to assist the casualty through in to the canal and a safe berth.

The bike also had personal effects including a still warm thermos and therefore there was a possibility of a missing person.

While Police and Coastguard units searched the canal quays, the ILB searched the canal from the SYC moorings to the Texaco plant and both sides of the canal.

After a second search all units were stood down byt Solent Coastguard, who were satisfied no-one was in the water.

Sussex police had the lady visual and the crew proceed to Worthing Pier. Once on scene they were informed that the lady had been recovered from the water and was on her way to Worthing hospital in an ambulance.

The ILB was released to return to station.

Whilst proceeding to the reported position Solent Coastguard advised us that the casualties had made it ashore and the crew were released to returned to station.

After speaking to the dive vessel Wolf 2 they confirmed they had 5 divers down 2 of which they were standing by. The ALB then began a search steaming seaward away from dive vessel.

After a short while an ALB crew member spotted 3 small targets which turned out to be the divers. Once alongside them the divers were pulled onboard all safe and well. They had drifted from their dive site by approx 1/2 mile.

The ALB then returned all 3 divers back to their dive vessel and resumed the exercise.

Once on scene the crew discovered the yacht was leaking from the stern tube. However, the leak had not progressed and manual bailing was possible.

A crew member was puit on board and the vessel was escorted to Brighton Marina to await repairs.

The crew gained visual of the craft as they cleared the harbour entrance.

Once along side they established a tow and returned to Sussex Marine Water Sports with in Shoreham Harbour and handed to the care of the local coastguards.

The ILB arrived on scene and the crew established that no-one was trapped and the area was clear before returning to station.

She was refusing to talk to Police Officers and kept walking into deeper water as they approached.

The ILB crew stood by to provide safety cover while she was persuaded to come ashore.

The crew arrived on scene to find the 2 yachts beam on, side by side, and trapped under the bridge.

The first yacht was pulled clear and the tow transferred to the Sussex Yacht Club workboat.

The second yacht was then pulled clear and towed to the visitors pontoon. Both yachts had sustained slight damage and the skipper of one required first aid treatment to his hand, which was carried out by the Coastguard units.

As the crew cleared the harbour entrance they were diverted to a report of a person clinging to a buoy off Carats Cafe. In fading light they performed a search, and when nothing was found by 22:46 the ALB was launched to join the search.

The Coastguard rescue helicopeter Rescue 104 was also tasked.

The area was thoroughtly searched before the ILB was asked to continue to the King Alfred to collect the rig belonging to the kitesurfer - who had made it ashore.

While the boat was on route the person recovered themselves and the crew were stood down

4 persons had removed a small fishing boat from the beach at Worthing. Equipped with some heavy wooden piling, they were attempting an impromptu cross channel passage.

The ILB assisted the Police in getting the persons and the boat ashore so they could be looked after by police officers.

With the boat under way the person recovered themselves and the lifeboat was returned to station.

While the crew were on their bay back they were re-tasked to a small teneder containing 2 people and a dog, which had broken down in the river. It was located and towed to Soldiers Point.

The yacht managed to get free of the obstruction but was taking water, so the crew towed it into Haslar Marina at Portsmouth before continuing to Poole.

All Weather Boat duties at Shoreham are covered by a relief lifeboat.

The ILB crew conducted a search of the area and established that no persons were in the water, before the Beach Office boat recovered the dinghy.

As the ILB crew were returning to station they assisted a capsized kayak, helping the owner empty the craft and continue on his way.

The crew were then re-tasked to a 28' day boat 2.5 miles west of Shoreham with engine failure.

The craft was towed back to Shoreham.

The craft was located and the occupants found to be safe and well. They were escorted back to the beach.

In conditions gusting up to force 7, the ILB reached the jetski first. It was almost completely submerged and there were no persons in the water. A brief search was made of the area while the coastguard units ashore made further enquiries.

Having established that the persons were all ashore the ALB took the jetski in tow.

It then became clear that another person on a jetski on the beach planned to re-launch into the large dumping surf and strong winds. Against the advice of the lifeboat crew he proceeded to launch the jetski and make his way back into harbour under the watchful eye of both lifeboats.

The lifeboats then delivered the sunken jetski ashore and returned to station.

As a Mayday call indicates a vessel or persons in imminent danger, the crew made immediately for the scene but on arrival they found the vessel aground with the skipper safe, and walking around the boat on the mud.

Confident that neither the vessel or the skipper were at risk, the crew returned to station.

The alarm was raised after 2 jetskis were seen leaving the harbour in the early hours of the morning, and sunsequently found washed up on the beach near the King Alfred leisure centre.

It was suspected the craft had been stolen from a watersports centre at Shoreham Harbour. A comprehensive search was made from the Brighton Pier to the King Alfred, but no persons were found.

The thieves were therefore assumed to have made it ashore and the search was called off.

On arrival the crew discovered a clearly uninhabited dinghy which appeared to have been pushed out to sea by vandals.

They towed it ashore and handed it over to local Coastguard units.

The vessel had suffered engine failure and was stranded offshore with a full complement of divers aboard. They were towed back to Shoreham.

The vessel, with a whole family aboard including children, had sprung a leak around the propellor shaft.

The ALB crew secured the leak and towed the vessel to Brighton marina.

The vessel had suffered electrical failure and the skipper had dialed 999 on his mobile phone for assistance.

The craft was towed to Emerald Quay up the River Adur.

The vessel, with 2 persons aboard, had become entangled with nets and the engine had been disabled.

The ILB crew cleared the propellor and with power regained the vessel was free to continue fishing. The ILB returned to station.

When the ILB arrived the man was hanging on railings at the end of the pier threatening to jump. He was being spoken to by Police officers.With the rest of the pier closed officers spent almost 3 hours talking to the clearly distressed man.

The ILB crew were asked to stand by with a Paramedic aboard in case he decided to jump. With an ebbing spring tide the area around the pier began to dry at around 6.30pm, so the crew returned the Paramedic ashore and were stood down to return to station.

On arrival back at the station we were pleased to hear the man had been detained by officers and the incident had been resolved without injury.

It was towed up river to its mooring and secured.

However, the person left the water and made their own way back ashore. The rescue was therefore cancelled before the crew had launched the boat.

The casualty managed to get ashore while the ILB was on its way, and the crew were stood down.

The pair had been in a small tender in the river and had become overwhelmed by a strong breeze. They had ended up trapped in mud near the locks.

They were brought back to the temporary lifeboat station and interviewed by the Police, before being collected by a parent.

The vessel with 3 people aboard had broken down around 3 miles from Shoreham Harbour. It was towed back to Shoreham and taken through the locks into the canal.

The crew member needed to be returned home to his wife who was due to give birth and was suffering complications. The lifeboat crew were asked to assist by taking him from his vessel and bringing him ashore in the quickest possible time.

Once ashore he was taken to meet a family member who had driven to the UK to collect him.

However, with the boat prepared and at the waters edge the person was confirmed to have it ashore and the launch cancelled.

The sailor had gone missing from his vessel during the night and the crew discovered he was missing in the morning. After an extensive search involving several resources the search was abandoned.