Lytham St Annes first to receive modern new inshore lifeboat

The way people use the sea is changing, more people are using the coast for recreational purposes such as open water swimming and paddleboarding. This means the vast majority of recues are closer to shore compared to years ago when demand was to commercial fishermen further offshore. The RNLI must ensure it has the most appropriate lifeboats in the right places which will save the greatest number of lives and keep our people safe.

The Mk 4 has modernised the Atlantic 85 lifeboat currently in the RNLI's fleet to better support lifeboat crew and casualties. The Atlantic 85 has a top speed of 35 knots and suited to the type of rescues the volunteer crew are tasked to. It is designed for rescues close to shore, near cliffs and rocks and can operate in force 7 near gale winds in daylight and force 6 at night.

Jo Partner, RNLI Head of Region for Wales, the North West and Isle of Man says:

‘We understand the impact of any change on our people, our staff and our communities and are committed to supporting them through this change. It is essential we use donors money wisely and allocate the most appropriate resources to keep our people safe and save the greatest number of lives in the most effective way.

‘We are confident the Mk 4 Atlantic 85 class lifeboat is the most suitable asset to serve this area of the coastline. We acknowledge the generosity of the local community at Lytham for which we are incredibly grateful. We hope that support will continue as we adapt the pattern of lifeboats around the coast of the UK and Ireland to the changing nature of lifesaving.’

Twenty lifeboat stations out of the 238 which operate around the UK and Ireland will see changes as a result of the new strategy to be rolled out in 2026/2027, primarily with changes from one class of all-weather lifeboat to another. Hastings, Ilfracombe and Lytham St Annes will all move from a Shannon to an Atlantic 85 lifeboat – with Lytham the first to receive the new model.

Compelling data, provided by RNLI lifeboat crews, lifeguards and partners over many years shows that the majority of incidents the charity’s lifeboats are responding to require the capabilities of an inshore lifeboat.

Between 2017-2022, 98% of the RNLI’s lifeboat response was within 10 nautical miles of the shore, 1.8% was between 10 and 25 nautical miles and just 0.2% of incidents were at a range greater than 25 nautical miles from the shore.

The change at Lytham St Annes which will not take effect until 2027.

A key part of the RNLI’s consideration has been seeking to better understand what capabilities are needed from the RNLI’s lifeboat fleet and which lifeboats could deliver these capabilities. The work to answer these questions has drawn on a combination of in-depth data, insights and specialist knowledge. This has enabled options to be explored and decisions made around the fleet configuration required to meet different scenarios.

Peter Sparkes, RNLI Chief Executive, said:

‘For over 200 years, the RNLI has been a charity with a simple mission, to save lives at sea. Clear evidence shows the nature of lifesaving is changing, at a time when demand for our vital service is increasing – we must respond to this.

‘If the RNLI is going to save even more lives, our lifeboat and lifeguard services must continue to adapt to these changing needs, we have a responsibility to spend our donor’s money in the right areas and where it will best meet the changing nature of lifesaving demand. Our lifeboat fleet strategy provides us with the principles and information to make these decisions.

‘We have reviewed and adjusted our lifeboat fleet and the placement of our lifeboats to meet the changing needs of our volunteers, supporters and communities we serve

‘We need to have confidence that the decisions we make now set us on a sustainable trajectory that is appropriate for the changing nature of lifesaving demand. This is fundamental if we are to achieve our goal of a future-fit, sustainable lifesaving service that keeps our people safe and enables us to save every one we can.’

The lifeboat fleet strategy is not about one individual lifeboat station and looks across the whole of the charity’s lifeboat configuration. The strategy has established principles through a response to the changing way people are using the coastline and establishing the capabilities and requirements of ALBs to inform decisions on where lifeboats will be placed.

Decisions on later years have not been confirmed but will be guided by the principles of the strategy. When deciding on the laydown of lifeboats at a station the RNLI considers the capabilities across flanking stations and other search and rescue services to meet the lifesaving demand.

ENDS

Notes to editor:

Interviews with RNLI Head of Region Jo Partner or Area Operations Manager John McVay are available by calling Danielle Rush, RNLI Regional Communications Lead on 07786 668829 or [email protected].

Through the strategy the specific needs and capabilities required from our All-weather lifeboats has been established. This has led to the development and agreement of what the RNLI’s ALBs are there to do (in priority order):

1. Provide cover to flank station ILBs.

1. Respond to all-weather lifeboat demand (i.e. incidents that are in conditions outside of an ILB’s capabilities).

1. Respond to major incidents (involving vessels over 30NM) where towing may be required.

1. Provide lifesaving effect in relation to offshore risk (25 to 75NM).

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,700 lives.

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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.