Swanage and Weymouth lifeboats assist in major search for missing diver
An overdue diver, 13 nautical miles SSE of Portland Bill, sparked a major search involving Weymouth and Swanage lifeboats, two helicopters and a fixed-wing aircraft.
Swanage lifeboat launched and made good progress to their search start position, nearly 20nm SSW of Swanage. On arrival, search instructions were passed to the lifeboat and several hours of searching began in coordination with the other search assets - two coastguard helicopters and a coastguard fixed wing aircraft providing wide area support.
Nothing was found after these searches and Swanage and Weymouth lifeboats, now south of Portland Bill diverted to Weymouth for a brief rest and some food before returning for a final search effort. At around 1.30am the search effort was halted for the night and the volunteer crew headed home, arriving back in Swanage after 10 hours at sea.
Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the missing diver at this time.
ALB Crew: (Coxn) Robert Aggas, Gavin Steeden, Matthew Steeden, Roydon Woodford, Neil Brooks, Ben Bamber
Shore Crew: (Head Launcher) Gary Buglass, Alan Parmenter, Martha Tavinor, Paul Meacham
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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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