Around 10pm we were tasked by Gloucestershire Police to support a missing person search at Brockworth, near Gloucester. Team members from SARA stations at Tewkebsury, Cotswolds and Beachley were deployed.

Thankfully as team members were assembling at the RV, the missing person was found safe by the police. The SARA team was stood down at 11.30pm.

Towards the end of our normal Sunday morning training we were tasked by the Coastguard, in response to an activated EPIRB in the Bristol Channel. Beachley's SARA Lifeboat 3 was still on the water, so the lifeboat crew made way immediately to the area to begin a search.

RNLI Portishead and RNLI Penarth were also tasked along with the Coastguard Helicopter Rescue 387.

Updated information led to the search being focused closer to the Portishead shoreline.

EPIRBs (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) are critical safety devices designed to alert search and rescue to life threatening maritime emergencies. Following multiple searches the EPIRB was found inappropriately discarded in a water filled bin. We were stood down around 2pm

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We were called out early afternoon, to the bank of the estuary near Redwick.  Team members from SARA Newport as well as Beachley Station were deployed.  

Once there, they worked with officers from Gwent Police and Chepstow Coastguard to recover a body which had been spotted during the morning by a member of the public.  

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

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The lifeboat crew at SARA Beachley were rather busy today.

At midday SARA Lifeboat 3 was launched at the request of Gwent Police, to conduct a prearranged search of the River Wye as part of an ongoing missing person search. She was stood down and recovered at around 2pm, with nothing having been found.

Later in the afternoon HM Coastguard requested us to launch in order to conduct a search on the River Severn. SARA 3 was launched for a second time but we were stood down shortly afterwards due to the missing person thankfully being found safe inland by the police.

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Just before 5pm, Milford Haven Coastguard paged us in response to a Mayday regarding a small vessel adrift in the Bristol Channel.

SARA Beachley lifeboat crew launched SARA Lifeboat 3 ‘Swift and Bold’  in low water and somewhat misty conditions. The SARA Beachley crew located and got alongside the vessel, which had lost engine power after making her way down from Keynsham.

There was one person on board who was in good spirits but rather cold. The crew kept him warm until he was handed over to Portishead Coastguard Rescue Team. RNLI Penarth were also tasked and in attendance.

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SARA Newport was tasked just after midnight by Gwent Police to assist at a water rescue incident.

Working with colleagues from South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, we joined an extensive search operation which led into the early hours before being stood down with nothing found.

Likely a false alarm

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This morning, SARA deployed several flood teams to Monmouth at the request of South Wales Fire and Rescue Service.  There was a yellow weather warning in place for rain with Storm Chandra, and concern that the area may again flood badly.  Teams from our SARA stations at Beachley, Newport and Sharpness were made ready at Monmouth Fire Station.  

Thankfully the rainfall in our area was not enough to lead to major flooding.  Whilst the River Monnow rose dramatically (it eventually peaked in Monmouth at about 8pm),  by early afternoon the Fire Service judged that they would not need additional rescources, and our volunteers were stood down.

It was a long slow morning for our crews, but better safe than sorry.  We are very mindful that many homes and businesses in Monmouth have not yet recovered from November's floods.

Many thanks to all who responded.

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