Latest news with #Lifeboat
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
RNLI crew makes no apologies for saving lives in English Channel
Lifeboat crew members who are called out to migrants crossing the Channel in small boats have told the BBC they make no apologies for saving lives at RNLI has faced accusations that it is acting as a "taxi service" for people trying to enter the UK its members said they will react to any incident they are asked to by the Coastguard and will go to the aid of anyone in trouble on or in the year, lifeboat crews responded 114 times to small boats - representing just over 1% of their total call-outs across the UK and Ireland. The charity said it has saved the lives of 58 migrants, including children. Paula Lain, who works as a management consultant when she's not volunteering for the RNLI, said: "When our pager goes, we're not thinking anything political. "We're all thinking about people. We're actively compassionate. That's what drives us beyond any moral or civic responsibility. "When we're tasked, we don't know what we're going to be tasked to. We're there to help people in their most distressing times." The RNLI has released harrowing images of an incident in which 19 people had to be pulled from the sea after the dinghy they were in capsized. It said it wants to provide an insight into the reality facing its volunteer images show the crew throwing what are called horse shoes – effectively mini life jackets – into the sea. But on seeing the lifeboat, many of those in the water decide to swim directly to it, and they are hauled on collapse with exhaustion, others need immediate medical attention. The lifeboat already had 68 people on board from an earlier incident. Everyone rescued by the RNLI in this incident in August 2023 survived - but six people pulled from the water by other vessels who responded to the emergency lost their crew members said they have faced accusations that they are facilitating illegal volunteer Dan Sinclair says what they see in the Channel has a profound impact on them. He recalls one recent rescue, telling the BBC: "There was a little girl on that boat. "When we took that little girl - who was probably four years old - off that boat, she looked at me straight in the eye and she said 'Thank you. I love you.'"You can see more about the rescue on the new series of 'Saving Lives at Sea' on BBC Two on Thursday at 20:00 BST and on iPlayer.
BBC News
17-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
RNLI Jersey warning after distress signal traced to bin
A warning has been issued by the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) after a distress signal was traced to a Jersey said the St Catherine's inshore lifeboat investigated the Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) signal on Wednesday afternoon, which was positioned north of La Coupe said a second signal was picked up from St Helier, before the EPIRB was found in a bin with its GPS antenna cut off, triggering a false alert. The charity said: "Please dispose of EPIRBs responsibly. Remove the battery before discarding the device. It helps prevent unnecessary emergency callouts."
The Herald Scotland
15-07-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Migrant charity says new UK and France deal will be ‘drop in the ocean'
However, the deal still faces final legal verification and consultation with the EU bloc before it can come into effect. Kent-based migrant charities have offered criticism of the Prime Minister's plans, with one leader suggesting the plan is a 'drop in the ocean' and does not address the full scale of the issue. Dr Razia Shariff, the chief executive of Kent Refugee Action Network (Kran) told PA News Agency it is 'unlikely' that the deal is a step in the right direction. Dr Shariff said: 'I don't actually understand how it's going to help. I think it's welcome that we've got some form of a safe or legal route being introduced for the first time – above and beyond a resettlement scheme.' However, she went on to point out that the UK and French leaders 'don't know if the EU is even going to verify it' and that they haven't worked out the details yet. She continued: 'There's a little bit of light if you like, given the fact that they are going to be offering some safer legal routes on this new scheme, but it's definitely not enough. It's a drop in the ocean, right?' French officials have suggested the pilot scheme is expected to return an estimated 50 migrants a week. A spokesperson for Dover based migrant charity Samphire said: 'This is a small proportion of the total number crossing. 'Desperate people in need of sanctuary are taking a huge risk to cross the Channel to safety – a small chance of being returned will just be another risk to take and does not, on the face of it, seem like a strong deterrent.' A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard an RNLI Lifeboat following a small boat incident in the Channel (Gareth Fuller/PA) Last week, some 1,375 migrants arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel, according to provisional figures from the Home Office. At least 22,000 people have already made the journey since January, putting 2025 on course to be a record year for crossings. The returns scheme will be accompanied by a crackdown on illegal working in the UK as the Government attempts to address the 'pull factors' encouraging people to attempt the crossing from France. Dr Shariff, who has worked with Kran for almost 10 years, argued that the deal did not address the bigger picture. 'If they just offered humanitarian visas or safe and legal routes in the first place, then they wouldn't have to be in the hands of criminals and smugglers and be brought over here in the first place,' she said. According to Samphire, 61% of people crossing the Channel on small boats in the year to March 2025 were Afghans, Syrians, Iranians, Vietnamese and Eritreans, who have a 66.6% asylum seeker acceptance rate in the UK between them. The charity's spokesperson said: 'There is a high likelihood that the UK will attempt to return some seeking asylum with legitimate claims, which will no doubt be subject to legal challenge. 'The Government should not be playing with human lives or catering to anti-migration narratives. Saying that any deal is better than no deal is not the right way to treat people.' The UK Government has said it expects Brussels to approve the pact, while a spokesman for the European Commission indicated it wanted to know more about the 'substance and form' of the arrangement before offering support. Both charities welcome safe and legal passage which could offset the power of the smuggling gangs, but neither seems to think this deal provides a comprehensive answer. 'It's side-stepping the issue, trying to appease everyone a little bit in some shape or form, but you know we will see if it's going to actually address the issue – I really don't think it will,' added Dr Shariff.
Irish Independent
15-07-2025
- Climate
- Irish Independent
Courtown RNLI rescue father and son off the coast of popular Wexford beach
Home > Regionals > Wexford > Gorey The crew later launched again to rescue a large inflatable which had blown out to sea. Thankfully there was nobody aboard it. Courtown RNLI Inshore Lifeboat Frank, with a crew of three volunteers was launched in gusty offshore conditions and were quickly on the scene where they located the paddleboarders clinging to a buoy, feeling cold and exhausted. The volunteer lifeboat crew took the two on board the lifeboat and transported them and their boards to shore where relieved family members were waiting. The paddleboarders were part of a family group visiting from Spain and thanked Courtown RNLI volunteers for responding so quickly, returning to shore just shortly after 2pm. Courtown Lifeboat helm Yvette Deacon said: 'They were lucky to come across the buoy. The wind was blowing them out to sea very quickly. 'Before going on the water, always check the weather, make sure you have the correct equipment and always call 112/999 as soon as possible and ask for the Coast Guard if you think somebody is in trouble' Yvette said. Later the same day, Courtown RNLI Lifeboat set out following a call in which a large inflatable Towable was blown out sea. Courtown RNLI Inshore Lifeboat Frank, launched at 6.30pm and was quickly on scene where it was established that nobody was on board the inflatable. It appeared to have been blown off Ardamine beach, Courtown. RNLI Lifeboat Frank. Courtown Lifeboat helm Brian McEvoy added: 'You have to be very careful with inflatables in offshore winds, you can be blown out to sea much more quickly than you think. The member of the public did the right thing, if in doubt call 112/999 and ask for the Coast Guard. If there had been anyone on board the inflatable, getting to it as quickly as possible makes all the difference.' The RNLI is a volunteer driven charity which provides a 24-hour search and rescue service around the coasts of Ireland, including Wexford.
North Wales Live
22-06-2025
- General
- North Wales Live
RNLI respond to two incidents of people in danger from rising tides
Lifeboat crews were called out to two separate incidents in an hour, of people getting caught out by rising tides. Walkers on the coast were urged to check tide times and their surroundings. A Criccieth Lifeboat statement yesterday (Saturday) said: "This afternoon (21.06.25), volunteer Crewmembers from Criccieth's RNLI Lifeboat Station responded to two calls in one hour, resulting in two lives being saved. "Both incidents involved people being unaware of rising tides. The first call, at 3pm involved a party of four and one dog stranded on a sandbank near Black Rock Sands. "Two of the party managed to swim ashore and raise the alarm via a gwynedd -council> Gwynedd Council Beach Warden, who was also an off-duty Criccieth Lifeboat Crewmember. "The Station quickly launched its Inshore Rescue Boat, Margaret a Nantw, from the slipway in Porthmadog and were promptly on-scene. With the two stranded walkers and dog safely aboard the Lifeboat, the boat ferried them ashore without any medical care being required. "At 3.45pm another call was received, on this occasion to walkers stranded on Ballast Quay, Porthmadog however the Lifeboat was stood-down as another passing vessel had spotted the group, and provided assistance by bringing them ashore. "The Station politely reminds walkers enjoying our coastline to check tide times and to aware of their surroundings."
