Selsey Lifeboat Station

Selsey Lifeboat Station - Launches

12th July 2020

Selsey RNLI Lifeboat Joins Search for Missing Diver

A dive boat reported to UK Coastguards that they had an overdue diver in a position approximately 2 miles south of Bognor. He was due to surface at 4.40 p.mm but had become detached from his buddy.

The Selsey all-weather Lifeboat (ALB) launched at 5.29 p.m. and made best speed to the area. The Coastguard rescue helicopter R175 was also tasked to carry out a search. The Lifeboat was asked to do an expanding box search and at 5.50 p.m. whilst on the first leg of the search when R175 called to say they were hovering over the top of the diver. The Selsey ALB made straight to the position and once on scene the diver indicated that he was OK. The diver was recovered to the Lifeboat and confirmed that he was OK before being transferred to his own vessel which had arrived on scene. The weather on scene was light breeze smooth sea in sunshine.

R175 was released at 6.03 p.m. and the Selsey Lifeboat was retasked by the Coastguard to go to a position 16 miles south of Selsey Bill where a 10-metre pleasure boat had reported machinery failure. The vessel had 2 persons and a dog aboard and had been angling. They were at anchor so the Lifeboat made best speed to their position which was close to the south west shipping lanes.

At 6.45 p.m. the ALB was on scene and a line was passed to the vessel. A tow was established between the two vessels and at 7.00pm the tow commenced towards Langstone Harbour. At 21.55 p.m. the vessel was safely berthed alongside in Langstone Harbour and the ALB departed the harbour at 10.05 p.m. reaching Selsey at 10.53 p.m. The lifeboat was recovered, washed down, refuelled and made ready for the next call by 11.55 p.m.

CREW: Rob Archibald (Coxswain), James Albrey (Acting 2nd Coxswain), Andy Lee (Mechanic), Max Gilligan, Max Wiseman and Neil Hopcraft.