The SARA Sharpness Lifeboat crew were tasked at 2148 by HM Coastguard to assist a sailing yacht adrift on the River Severn in the Elmore Back area.

Initial reports indicated the vessel had encountered the Severn Bore and subsequently broken free from the bank.

SARA Rescue 15 was launched from Gloucester and quickly located the yacht. Working alongside two boats from Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service, as well as Chepstow Coastguard Rescue Team, crews repositioned the vessel safely and secured it to the shore.

With the situation brought under control, the SARA crew were stood down and returned to station.

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The SARA Beachley lifeboat crew were called out again yesterday at lunchtime. We were paged by the Coastguard at 1300, to reports of a male stranded by the low tide in the Severn Beach area. He was accompanied by his dog and had been fishing.

SARA Lifeboat 3 was launched and arrived on scene - by which time the man and his dog had been rescued back to the shore by the Coastguard Rescue 387 helicopter. The SARA 3 crew retrieved his waders, and brought them back to Beachley [he subsequently collected them the following Thursday]

We were stood down at 1440.  

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The SARA Beachley lifeboat crew was called out just before midnight, to support a police operation on the M48 Severn Bridge, and we launched SARA Lifeboat 3.

We were stood down shortly after, at 0020, as it deemed that the incident could be dealt with by emergency services on land.

Many thanks to all who responded.

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Following the early morning search, the SARA Beachley Lifeboat Crew was again tasked by the Coastguard at 1118.  This time it was to a paddle boarder reported to be in difficulty downstream of the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge.  

We launched SARA Lifeboat 3. RNLI Portishead were also tasked, and Chepstow Coastguard Rescue Team conducted searches and enquiries along the bank. Shortly after leaving the slip, we were stood down as the paddle boarder had reached the shore safely.  A false alarm with good intentions.

While returning to Beachley, SARA 3 came across a speedboat which had lost power off Beachley Point.  The well-equipped crew were slowly making their way back to Beachley, but were happy to be taken in tow and safely recovered to the Beachley slip.  They had a spare engine there ready to fit.

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Just after 1am, lifeboat crew were requested to support with the search for a missing person in the Aust area of South Gloucestershire.

SARA Lifeboat 3 from SARA Beachley, SARA Lifeboat 4 and SARA Rescue 15 from Sharpness, were launched and made their way downriver to the designated search area. Crews carried out detailed searches of the Severn Estuary between Oldbury and Severn Beach.

After completing thorough searches with nothing located, all three boats were stood down at approximately 0430 hrs. Due to reduced tidal levels, SARA Lifeboat 4 and SARA Rescue 15 were recovered via the slipway at Beachley before being transported back to Sharpness by road.

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At 11:40, the Inland Water Rescue Team from SARA Sharpness were requested by Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service to search a vessel that had sunk suddenly in the Sharpness & Gloucester Canal.  SRT crew deployed from Sharpness and Gloucester, and conducted searches of the sunken vessel, utilising an underwater camera from SARA Wyre Forest. Thankfully following the search, the owners were located safe and well ashore.

SARA Lifeboat Crew were called out at 0800 this morning, to support a police operation on the M48 Severn Bridge.  We launched SARA Lifeboat 3 from SARTA Beachley and , SARA Lifeboat 4 from SARA Sharpness, and the Atlantic 85 from RNLI Portishead was also called out.

Searches were conducted for several hours, supported by both Police and Coastguard helicopters, and Coastguard Rescue Teams from Portishead, Chepstow and Penarth.

We were stood down at 1330, with nothing having been found, and having conducted a crew change on SARA 3 at around 1030.  Many thanks to all who responded.

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