At 06:46 this morning we were paged to assist Wiltshire Search and Rescue with the search for a man believed to have entered the water in Chippenham.

SRT crew from SARA Sharpness, based at both Sharpness & Gloucester deployed, and conducted searches of the River Avon alongside WILSAR, Wiltshire Police, and divers from Avon and Somerset Police.

Sadly, during the search, the body of a man was recovered from the water near to the Town Bridge. The thoughts of everyone at SARA are with the mans family, friends and the community in Chippenham.

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In addition to the searches related to the man from Milkwall, we were called out to Lydney around 1745 on Saturday to support Gloucestershire Police with a second search.

Land and water search team members from SARA Beachley, Tewkesbury, Cotswolds and Sharpness attended, both on Saturday evening and again on Sunday morning. Searches were conducted in the area of Lydney Canal and Docks and the surrounding fields.  The search was suspended mid-morning on Sunday, with nothing having been found.

We were delighted to be informed early on Sunday afternoon that the man had been found safe, well outside of our search area.

Many thanks to all who responded.

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Very sadly, during the afternoon we found the body of a man during a search for the man missing from Milkwall since early March.  

Our search managers have been working closely with Gloucestershire Constabulary, and we conducted a series of searches on Tuesday last week and then again on Friday, Saturday and today (Sunday).  These have included searches of areas of both water and woodland, involving land search teams from SARA Stations at Beachley, Tewkesbury and Cotswolds, supplemented by colleagues from Gloucestershire Cave Rescue Group, and water search & boat teams from Beachley, Sharpness and Upton.

Today (Sunday) was the 10th day on which we have conduced searches.  During the afternoon, a boat team found a body during a search of the River Wye.

This has been a protracted search, and we are grateful to all of the volunteers who have contributed to the operation and to their families.

Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the man concerned.

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This morning turned out to be an eventful one at Beachley Lifeboat Station.

We were performing general maintenance tasks, when at around 11.20 we heard a commotion on the slipway.  On investigation we discovered a small RIB had suffered engine failure while preparing to land at the slipway. A jet ski was in attendance trying to help.

We contacted the Coastguard to let them know the situation, and then launched SARA Lifeboat 3 and got alongside the drifting vessel.

The jet ski had also broken down, so we towed it back to safety and returned for the drifting vessel - which had managed to restart its engine but then ran out fuel. We towed it back too, where it was recovered.

Everyone was safe and well.

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At around 11.20 some of the SARA Beachley members undetaking maintenance heard a commotion on the slipway.  On investigation they discovered a small RIB had suffered engine failure while preparing to land at the slipway. A jet ski was in attendance trying to help.

They contacted the Coastguard to let them know the situation, and then launched SARA Lifeboat 3 and got alongside the drifting vessel.

The jet ski had also broken down, so they towed it back to safety and returned for the drifting vessel - which had managed to restart its engine but then ran out fuel.  They towed that back too, where it was recovered.

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We have been keeping in close touch with Gloucestershire Constabulary regarding the man missing from the Coleford area.  Teams from SARA Beachley Station have been deployed on the River Wye, on a series of searches for him over the past two days.

Sadly he remains missing, and the police operation is ongoing.  Our thoughts remain with his family and friends.

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Following multiple 999 calls received in the afternoon, SARA Lifeboat 14 ‘The Maureen Easton’ was requested to launch immediately by HM Coastguard to provide assistance at a multi agency response near the university building at Newport, the River Usk.

Our crew joined several other water rescue assets from South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, multiple Gwent Police and ambulance resources, specialist teams from Chepstow and Penarth Coastguard teams and the CG search & rescue helicopter ‘Rescue 387’.

Thank you to the members of public who made way for our emergency vehicles during yesterday’s traffic.

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