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Wells RNLI launched to 3 anglers lost in the fog on Stiffkey Marsh

Lifeboats News Release

The Inshore D-Class lifeboat was paged at 11.33pm on Friday 17 May 2024, in foggy conditions, to the aid of 3 anglers who had become disorientated on the marshes at Stiffkey.

D-Class lifeboat in sea with spray from it and 4 RNLI crew members

RNLI/Adele Meakin

Wells RNLI D-Class Inshore Lifeboat 'Peter Wilcox'

Due to the low tide, the Inshore lifeboat with 3 volunteer crew onboard was launched from the Holkham Bay launch site at 00.07am on 18 May 2024 and proceeded to Stiffkey Marsh. The Sheringham and Wells Coastguard teams had also been paged for assistance.

The local Coastguard arrived on site and spotted bright lights from the anglers on the marshes. The Coastguard teams were able to use these lights to guide them to safety at 00.34am.

The Inshore D-class lifeboat ‘Peter Wilcox’ had just arrived on scene and was stood down and returned to Wells Boathouse at 00.59. It was cleaned and refuelled by 1.30am.

Notes to the editor.

Wells RNLI has a D-Class Inshore Lifeboat ‘Peter Wilcox’ and a Shannon Class All Weather Lifeboat ‘Duke of Edinburgh’. The boathouse and the All Weather Lifeboat were new in 2022. The ‘Duke of Edinburgh’ lifeboat was the first UK Launch a Memory lifeboat, which has 15,000 names printed on the decals. This helped to raise much needed funds for the RNLI and attracts thousands of visitors to the station.

Author Adele Meakin, Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer at Wells RNLI. Tel 07989 901733.

D-Class lifeboat in the still waters of Wells Harbour with 4 crew in

RNLI/Adele Meakin

Wells RNLI D-Class Inshore lifeboat in Wells Harbour
Wells RNLI lifeboats moored on the pontoon, with the volunteer crew and the lifeboat horse.

RNLI/Adele Meakin

Wells RNLI Shannon All-weather Lifeboat 'Duke of Edinburgh' and the D-class Inshore lifeboat with the crew as part of the 200 anniversary celebrations of the RNLI

Key facts about the RNLI

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.

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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

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