Incidents

We are tasked by the emergency services, including HM Coastguaard, Fire & Rescue, Police and the Ambulance Services. Our teams are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Below are the callouts that we have attended.

• River Severn M48 Bridge 24-06-23

  Very early this morning, HM Coastguard asked us to support a police operation on the M48 Severn Bridge. Our lifeboat crew launched SARA Lifeboat 3 to take part in a search on the River Severn, without finding anything. Later that morning, and again in the evening, at the Coastguard’s request we launched twice more to continue the search, again with nothing found.

  Thanks to all who responded.

  24th Jun 2023

  24th Jun 2023

• Gloucester 23-06-23

  Shortly before 10pm, SARA Land Search teams were asked to assist Gloucestershire Constabulary in the search for a high-risk missing person close to Gloucester. Team members from our stations at Beachley, Tewkesbury, Cotswolds and Wyre Forest responded, along with colleagues from Gloucestershire Cave Rescue Group who are also trained in ‘surface search’.

  As the first parties were deploying to search areas, the person was located safe, and teams were stood down around 11.30pm to return to their stations and beds.

  Many thanks to all who responded and to Mercure Gloucester Bowden Hall Hotel for hosting our Search Control base.

  23rd Jun 2023

  23rd Jun 2023

• Newport 18-06-23

  We were tasked shortly after midday to attend an incident on the river Usk near the city centre to reports of a person in the water.

  Due to low water with an ebbing tide, our inland rescue boat was launched to commence an immediate area search. Other crew made their way to the mudbank with rescue equipment.
  Joining colleagues from South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Gwent Police , Chepstow Coastguard and a Coastguard helicopter from St Athan, a wider and thorough search of the river and mudbanks was undertake with nothing found. False alarm believed with good intent. Crew stood down at 14:20

  18th Jun 2023

  18th Jun 2023

• Chepstow 17-06-23

  Coastguard Chepstow called us shortly before 1am; after a member of the public raised a concern about lights seen in a quarry in Chepstow close to the Wye. Two members of our rope rescue team went to the location to investigate. The Coastguard team confirmed that no one needed assistance, and it had been a false alarm with good intent.

  17th Jun 2023

  17th Jun 2023

• Beachley 16-06-23

  SARA Lifeboat 1 and a land search team were made ready at Beachley to assist Gloucestershire Constabulary and the coastguard with a vulnerable teenager at Beachley. The police safely resolved the situation without us needing to deploy.

  16th Jun 2023

  16th Jun 2023

• Broseley, Shropshire 15-06-23

  Around lunchtime we were contacted by our colleagues at West Mercia Search & Rescue (WMSAR) to ask if we could assist West Mercia Police with a missing person search in Shropshire.

  Members of SARA Tewkesbury and Wyre Forest deployed quickly to the scene (including some who had been assisting Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service with water safety talks as part of the Young Citizens Challenge).

  Shortly after arriving at scene, the missing man was located by police, both from the ground and the air (National Police Air Service). SARA team, members, including one of our cas care trained crew, made their way to the gentleman to assess and help extract him to safety.

  15th Jun 2023

  15th Jun 2023

• Beachley River Wye (Cow Rescue) 29-05-23

  We were called out around 1830 on Bank Holiday Monday to support Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS). The task was to rescue Gertrude the cow (not her real name), who had somehow ended up swimming in the Wye alongside a bank of very soft mud on a falling tide, with her calf in the field (on the Beachley bank) with the rest of the herd.

  Lifeboat SARA3 with its crew arrived on scene about 1840, and for an hour coaxed Gertrude down the river to a gully where the fire team and the farmer were preparing to extract her.
  The fire team meanwhile set up a line of 3 mud platforms to aid access, as SARA3 blocked the cow from leaving the gully. This inevitably resulted in SARA3 coming to rest on the mud. So we brought SARA14 in from Newport to try to release SARA3, but we eventually had to simply tie the boat off to wait for a rising tide. SARA14 ferried the muddy crew back to Beachley.
  Meanwhile Gertude was unceremoniously dragged up the mud, by the GFRS Animal Rescue team.

  As the sun was setting and the cow was still on the mud bank, the fire team set up scene lighting. Gertrude was obviously very exhausted, but, as they were leaving the scene, our crew members witnessed her sitting up, nosing with other members of her herd who had gathered round to welcome her back.
  We retrieved SARA3, after being refloated by the tide, about 0100.

  SARA crew members will be back at Beachley station in the morning to hose everything down.

  29th May 2023

  29th May 2023

• Severn Beach 22-05-23

  Earlier today, SARA Lifeboat SARA3 launched to support HM Coastguard Chepstow and HM Coastguard Portishead following reports of 2 people cut off by a rising tide off Severn Beach in the River Severn. Our crew stood by in the lifeboat whilst the coastguard helicopter winched the 2 people to safety.

  We understand they were hypothermic (very cold) and were taken by ambulance to hospital for checks. Avon Fire & Rescue Service also attended.

  22nd May 2023

  22nd May 2023

• Chepstow River Wye 14-05-23

  SARA Lifeboat 1 was launched at approx 1530 this afternoon, in response to a tasking from HM Coastguard to go to the aid of a motor cruiser in the River Wye. She had been used for water-skiiing but had suffered engine failure around Chepstow Castle and could not be re-started, so the crew had called for help.

  On the incoming tide the cruiser drifted upstream and SARA 1 picked her up near Lancaut Chapel. The SARA crew took her in tow, and with the boat’s crew warm and in good spirits they towed her back to Beachley slipway, to recover both boats around 1645.
  Many thanks to all who responded.

  For info, water-skiing is allowed on the Wye on that section, from just beyond Chepstow Castle as far as Livox Quarry. Jet-skiiing, which we are sometimes asked about, is not permitted above Chepstow railway bridge. For more info, please see
  https://gloucesterharbourtrustees.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/GHT-Byelaws-2006.pdf

  14th May 2023

  14th May 2023

• Beachley 07-05-23

  SARA Lifeboat 1 ‘The Jim Hewitt’ was launched at 8.30pm yesterday (following King Charles’ Coronation) to rescue a group of youngsters. They had been cut off by the tide on Lyde Rock (the gantry opposite the Old Ferry Inn Business Centre at Beachley). Realising they had been caught out by the height of the spring tide – at the place with the greatest tidal range in Europe – they had sensibly called 999.

  The lifeboat was launched rapidly after we were alerted by the Coastguard. The four relieved teenagers were brought back to Beachley slipway, and HM Coastguard Chepstow looked after them from there.
  Many thanks to all who responded.

  7th May 2023

  7th May 2023