Ready at a Moment’s Notice

Dedicated volunteer crews across the Severn region, on water and land. We stay on call to save lives, 24/7.

Nailsworth

July 5, 2025

Just after 4am this morning we were requested by Gloucestershire Constabulary to support a search for a missing young man in the Nailsworth area. One of our Search Controllers had a planning meeting with police, and the SARA Land Search Team was tasked around 5.45am. Gloucestershire Cave Rescue Group and Search and Rescue Dog Association South Wales were also requested to support. Thankfully as the first team members were arriving at the RV, the missing person was found safe. Many thanks to all who responded.

Andoversford

July 7, 2025

At around 0030 this morning we were called out to Andoversford, east of Cheltenham, to support Gloucestershire Constabulary with a search for a missing young lady.Land search teams from SARA Tewkesbury, Cotswolds, Beachley and Wyre Forest plus a water team from SARA Sharpness attended, along with assets from Gloucestershire fire and rescue service and a Search and Rescue Dog Association South Wales search dog.Around 0500 the young lady was spotted on the edge of a search area by one of our teams, and assisted pending the arrival of police officers and family. A great result! Many thanks to all who attended.

Lechlade

July 13, 2025

Shortly before 1am, we were requested by Wiltshire Search and Rescue to support a search in the River Thames at Buscot Lock, near Lechlade.A water search team comprising members of SARA's Sharpness and Tewkesbury Stations was deployed at once, and this morning they were joined by a team from SARA Wyre Forest with a Sonar unit. Searches were undertaken using both inflatable sleds and a boat as platforms; multiple other agencies were also involved, including specialist dogs.Very sadly this afternoon a body was located by police divers.Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the man concerned.

Wyndcliff, nr Chepstow

July 22, 2025

The SARA Land and Rope Teams were called out to support Gwent Police with a search for a missing man at Wyndcliff in the Wye Valley, just north of Chepstow. Longtown Mountain Rescue Team were committed elsewhere.Team members from our stations at Beachley, Tewkesbury and Cotswolds deployed, and we were also supported by members of Gloucestershire Cave Rescue Group and Search and Rescue Dog Association South Wales. Starting at 1030, the teams searched a large and complex area comprising serious cliffs, sloping overgrown and rocky woodland and open fields. Thankfully, at around 1930 as thoughts were turning to where to search the following day, the missing man was found safe and well a few km away from our search area. A small SARA party, including one of our paramedics, attended until police officers could arrive. A great result. Many thanks to all who attended or supported the search in other ways.

River Severn - Beachley

July 23, 2025

Around 1730 the SARA Beachley Lifeboat Crew were called out by the Coastguard to a report of a person in the water in the area of the M48 Severn Bridge. SARA Lifeboat 1 was launched rapidly, with two paramedics from the Ambulance HART Team on board as well as the SARA crew.With the assistance of the Police helicopter, the person was located and rescued onto the lifeboat, and then taken to the slipway. By then the Great Western Air Ambulance had landed at Beachley and RNLI Portishead was also on scene. The person was attended to by a combined SARA, RNLI, Ambulance and Helicopter HEMS team, before being taken to hospital.We try to train with other local emergency services as much as we can, and regularly take HART team members out in our lifeboats. This was an excellent example of all that multi-agency training demonstrating its value on a callout. Many thanks to all who responded.

River Usk - Newport

July 24, 2025

SARA Lifeboat 14 was tasked to reports of a vessel sinking with unknown occupants. We immediately launched and made way to the vessel’s last know position. Following a brief search, it was confirmed a false alarm with good intent.

River Usk - Newport

July 25, 2025

SARA Lifeboat 14 was tasked again this afternoon. This time to assist someone stuck in the mud.Thankfully the person was able to self extract prior to our arrival.

River Usk - Newport

July 26, 2025

At approx 03:30, we were tasked to assist a vessel which had run aground and required assistance. Due to the extremely low tide, we launched our plastic boat which is used for inland waters such as ponds and lakes. We joined RNLI Penarth and South Wales Fire & Rescue Service to bring the incident to a close.

Ross-on-Wye

July 27, 2025

Search Teams were called out to Ross-on-Wye at around midday. Longtown Mountain Rescue Team requested our support with a search which they, and West Mercia Search & Rescue, were undertaking for West Mercia Police.Team members from our Beachley, Tewkesbury, Upton, Wyre Forest and Cotswolds Stations assembled at Ross Rowing Club. A series of land areas and sections of the River Wye were searched by SARA, the latter both by boat and on foot, whilst the other teams searched different areas. We were once again supported by Search and Rescue Dog Association South Wales. Sadly during one of our searches, the body of a man was discovered. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the man concerned.Many thanks to all who attended and to Ross Rowing Club for the use of their facilities.

River Wye - Chepstow

July 29, 2025

Lifeboat shout in the early hours - at 00.13. The Coastguard  tasked us to investigate a vessel near the A48 Wye Bridge on the River Wye in Chepstow, following concern expressed by a caller. We were just about to launch SARA  Lifeboat 1 when we were stood down as the vessel and crew were declared safe. SARA 1 and crew were put back to bed!

River Severn - Beachley

August 2, 2025

The SARA Beachley lifeboats were called out by the Coastguard this afternoon. Both SARA Lifeboats 1 and 3 were launched around 2pm, to search for a missing man. Initially they were tasked to search along the Severn, upriver from Beachley; subsequently they were re-tasked to search in the lower part of the Wye. Thankfully the man was then located safe and well ashore, and our crew was stood down. Both the lifeboat helms had hot-footed from Brockweir, where they were due to support the Tintern Duck Race. Thus it was left to some our inland boat crew to operate SARA Rescue 5, providing safety cover for both spectators and ducks along with a small fleet of kayaks. With the low river levels and slow current, the duck race was still in progress when the two helms returned to Tintern having been stood down, so they did not miss out entirely.

River Severn - Beachley

August 5, 2025

Just after midnight last night Maritime and Coastguard Agency paged us to support Avon and Somerset Police and South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust with an incident near Aust Rock. SARA Lifeboat 1 was launched and held position under the M48 Severn Bridge ready to assist. The incident was resolved successfully and SARA1 returned to station.

Sedbury

August 6, 2025

At 00:28 this morning, our land search and water rescue teams were called to support Gwent Police and Gloucestershire Constabulary with an incident near Sedbury. Crews from the SARA stations at Beachley, Tewkesbury, Upton and Cotswolds were tasked. Thankfully the missing person was quickly spotted by a SARA team member and safely taken into the care of the police. The teams were stood down and crew could return home.

Leckhampton Hill

August 11, 2025

Our land search team was called out this morning, to support Gloucestershire Police with the search for a high risk missing man in the area of Leckhampton Hill, near Cheltenham. Team members from SARA stations at Beachley, Tewkesbury, Cotswolds and Wyre Forest were called out, along with colleagues from Gloucestershire Cave Rescue Group and a search dog & handler from Search and Rescue Dog Association (South Wales).Thankfully, as the first search parties were deploying from the RV, the missing man was located safe elsewhere by a member of the public.

Coleford

August 12, 2025

The Land Search team was called out again just after lunchtime, to the Coleford area, to support Gloucestershire Police with a search for a missing man.Team members from SARA Stations at Beachley, Tewkesbury and Cotswolds responded, along with colleagues from Gloucestershire Cave Rescue Group and Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service Coleford. They undertook detailed searches of areas to west of Coleford in very testing, hot conditions. Teams were stood down at nightfall with nothing having been found, with the intention of continuing the following (Wednesday) morning. However, the missing man was found safe later in the evening out of our search area. Grateful thanks to Andy & Maureen, owners of Greenacres Campsite for allowing us to use the site as the search base and for generously providing cold drinks for the searchers. Also to Whitecliff Off Road Centre for their help in providing a forward base.

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