Following a request from the coastguard, at approximately 17:55 yesterday evening, both lifeboats; the Jack & Phyl Cleare our Atlantic 85 and Ernest and Mabel our Severn class, were launched in response to reported sightings of red distress flares over Weymouth bay.
Red distress flares are a signal that a vessel, or persons, are in urgent need of assistance and are always treated as such by the coastguard and lifeboat crews.
With that in mind our volunteer crews took to the water with both lifeboats initiating well-practiced search patterns ensuring they covered the full extent of Weymouth bay.
After almost two hours of intense search for a potential distressed person a further flare was spotted, having been launched from inland in the direction of Preston beach. This sighting was confirmed by the coordinating coastguard team onshore; Wyke Coastguard CRT and Portland Bill Coastguard Rescue Team both .
As a result it was determined that this was a well intentioned but false alert resulting from an illegal discharge of a distress flare.
Both lifeboats and their volunteer crews were stood down and returned to station where the vessels were cleaned and made ready for the next call for assistance.
We would remind people that the firing of red distress flares, when no genuine emergency exists, is illegal under the Merchant Shipping Act.
• Flares are explosive devices.
• Anyone possessing a flare is responsible for it until it has been used or properly disposed of.
• Flares can also be very dangerous if safety precautions are not taken.
The RNLI charity 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 142,700 lives.
