Busy Saturday for volunteer crew at Swanage RNLI lifeboat station

The pagers first sounded at 6:28am alerting the crew of both the all-weather lifeboat, George Thomas Lacy, and the inshore lifeboat, Roy Norgrove, to assist in the search for a missing person.

By approximately 6:58am both boats had launched and were beginning a shoreline search, covering the area from Seacombe Quarry to Kimmeridge Bay. They were soon joined by a HM Coastguard helicopter and several HM Coastguard Rescue Teams, who concentrated their search along the South West Coastal Path. The police were also involved in the search.

The volunteer crew were able to conduct a detailed search of the cliff faces, caves and the waterline as they headed westward. At times volunteers from the inshore lifeboat crew were put ashore where rocks and boulders at the base of the cliffs obstructed the line of sight. After the initial sweep, the search area was extended back to Durlston.

Conditions between Durlston and St Aldhelm's Head were not easy; the wind over the tide meant large waves and swell made for a bumpy passage, especially for the inshore lifeboat.

At 10:00 am the lifeboats returned to station

The all-weather lifeboat and the inshore lifeboat had only just been washed down and prepared for service following their early morning shout when the volunteer crews were called upon to launch again. Less than half an hour after returning from their first shout of the day, both lifeboats were launched to assist with a casualty at Hobarrow Bay, to the west of Kimmeridge.

Battling against the waves, both lifeboats headed westwards negotiating the shallow waters around the ledges at Kimmeridge and made their way towards the shore where the casualty had been spotted by a member of the public who dialled 999. As the lifeboats arrived, a rescue helicopter from HM Coastguard managed to land close by on a rock ledge. The inshore lifeboat skilfully manoeuvred into the shore and dropped two volunteer crew ashoremembers to assist with casualty care. The casualty was stabilised and the lifeboat crew members then helped to carry the stretcher and load the casualty into the helicopter. Once the helicopter had taken off and was on its way to the hospital, the lifeboats were free to make their way back to Swanage.

A very busy day for the volunteer crew at Swanage continued when a launch request was received at 1:36 pm calling for both lifeboats to head to Studland Bay to search for a swimmer who had become separated from their group.

Having crossed Swanage Bay the inshore lifeboat, Roy Norgrove, began a shoreline search amongst the rocks around Old Harry and towards Studland South Beach. Meanwhile the all-weather boat, George Thomas Lacy, scoured the deeper waters of the bay. A report soon confirmed that the swimmer had managed to get back to South Beach and had been reunited with their friends.

Both lifeboats were about to head back to station when a radio message from HM Coastguard to Mudeford lifeboat about a missing child on Bournemouth Beach was overheard. Already afloat, the volunteer crew aboard the all-weather lifeboat offered to help in the search and was tasked to join lifeboats from Mudeford and Poole as well as an HM Coastguard helicopter in a coordinated, multi-vessel search off Bournemouth Beach. The inshore lifeboat returned to the RNLI lifeboat station in Swanage.

Thankfully the child was located on the busy beach and reunited with their family. The all- weather lifeboat was able to return to Swanage having attended four incidents during a very busy day for the volunteer crew members. Rather than rehousing immediately, the crew headed to support the Build-A-Boat Competition (an integral part of Swanage RNLI "Lifeboat Week") which was underway next to Swanage Pier.