Hornsea Inshore Rescue was tasked to go to the rescue of a missing person thought to be on the cliffs between Hornsea and Mappleton.
After being paged at 9.40pm on Tuesday night, the Spirit of Hornsea was swiftly put to sea by launchmaster Adam Collins with leading coxswain Karl Shannon at the helm and Liam Watson, Faye Melody and Jake Blackburn- Roberts as crew.
Once on the scene the crew proceeded to conduct a shoreline search using searchlights, radar and thermal imaging equipment. A heat signature was picked up by Faye on the thermal camera.
It was about halfway up the cliffs, and Jake and Liam were sent ashore to investigate. They found it to be the missing person and after a welfare check they were assisted up to the cliff top and handed over to the waiting police team, aided by the police helicopter that had arrived to illuminate the scene.
With the casualty safely in the hands of the police and coastguard, the two crew returned to the Spirit of Hornsea which then returned to base where it was prepared for its next callout.
Sue Hickson-Marsay, CEO and station manager, said: “This was a most successful outcome and shows how our intensive training and state-of-the-art equipment proves to be essential for our life-saving work. Well done once again to our crew and everyone involved in Hornsea Inshore Rescue.”
It comes after the lifeboat was called out in the wake of Storm Lilian on Friday, August 23, to investigate reports of three people cut off by the tide at Rolston Sands.
After conducting a thorough shoreline search it was ascertained that nobody was in any danger and the callout was put down as a false alarm with good intent – but the crew once again stressed that beach walkers should always check tide times before they set off and remember that, especially to the south of Hornsea, the tide can reach the cliff base some two hours before the predicted high tide.
Tide times are posted in the windows of Hornsea Inshore Rescue’s Boat Launch Café (the Galley) and the NCI building next to the Marine Hotel – as well as on Page 3 of the Gazette every week.
As part of Hornsea Inshore Rescue’s 30th anniversary celebrations, there will be a family fun day at Wassand Hall and Gardens on Saturday, August 31, from 1pm to 5pm.
Tearooms, gardens, woodland walks will all be open with lots of fun activities. Admission is £5 for adults and £3 for children, with all funds going to support the charity.
Hornsea Inshore Rescue is on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It is a totally independent local rescue organisation supported solely by donations and grants, and is not part of the RNLI.
