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.

• Moreton Valence 23-12-21

  Around 1845, SARA Sharpness received a tasking from Gloucestershire Constabulary to perform a specialist search to confirm whether a vehicle had entered the canal near Moreton Valence due to a damaged guarding.
  Upon arrival, it became apparent that a lorry had caused the damage as the driver had now reported this to the police.
  Happy there was no vehicle or people in the water, the Sharpness crew were stood down at 2000.

  23rd Dec 2021

  23rd Dec 2021

• Neen Sollars 19-12-21

  A brief callout for the SARA Wyre Forest and Tewkesbury crews.
  Shortly before 3pm, we were contacted by West Mercia Police to assist with a missing person search near Neen Sollars on the Shropshire/Worcester border.
  Thankfully the missing gentleman was located by police and members of the public as crew were assembling on station and as our search controller was arriving at the RV.

  19th Dec 2021

  19th Dec 2021

• Evesham 08 & 12-12-21

  SARA search teams were called out to Evesham today (Sunday 12th Dec), for the second time this week. On Wednesday 8th Dec West Mercia Search & Rescue (WMSAR) asked for our help, supporting an ongoing missing person search on behalf of West Mercia Police. Land and water search teams from SARA Tewkesbury, Wyre Forest and Upton were deployed, with nothing being found.
  Today land search teams from SARA Tewkesbury and Wyre Forest deployed again, leading a search effort which involved WMSAR, Warwickshire Search and Rescue and Staffordshire Search and Rescue Team. The search was called off as light was being lost, with nothing having been found. The police operation remains ongoing and our thoughts are with the family of the missing person concerned.

  12th Dec 2021

  12th Dec 2021

• Worcester 05-12-12

  Not long after finishing providing first aid cover for over 350 Santas at the Santa Fun run in Brintons Park, Kidderminster for KEMP Hospice, SARA Wyre Forest were tasked to assist West Mercia Search & Rescue with a missing person search in Worcester. The crew quickly deployed to the callout and searched their assigned areas before being stood down as light was being lost.
  It was later confirmed by the police that the missing person was been found safe and well.

  5th Dec 2021

  5th Dec 2021

• Newport Deep 29-11-21

  SARA Lifeboat 1 from Beachley was launched this afternoon to a Mayday distress call. The Coastguard requested urgent help for 25ft fishing vessel with a fouled propeller that was drifting in the Bristol Channel, near to the Newport Deep navigation mark. Two of our lifeboat coxswains were already afloat, training in SARA Lifeboat 3, so they returned to Beachley station to swap over to the larger and much more powerful SARA Lifeboat 1, helped by other crew that had arrived.

  As it was quite high water, the passage to Newport was relatively direct. When SARA 1 got to the scene, the crew found that the single-crewed fishing boat had managed to lay an anchor. The lifeboat then took the fishing boat under tow into Newport and on to its mooring. The crew then made the return passage back to Beachley, to be refuel the boat and turn her around ready for its next service.

  29th Nov 2021

  29th Nov 2021

• Russell’s Hall 19-11-21

  The Land Search Team from SARA Wyre Forest was tasked by West Midlands Police during the afternoon to assist with a missing person search in the Russell’s Hall area. Crew quickly deployed to scene and started searching. The missing person was later located well outside of the search area.
  Thank you to our colleagues at West Mercia Search & Rescue for deploying alongside us and assisting with the search.

  19th Nov 2021

  19th Nov 2021

• Newent 19-11-21

  Around 14.30, Gloucestershire Police asked us to help search for a vulnerable missing person in the Newent area. Teams from SARA Cotswolds, Beachley, Sharpness and Tewkesbury Stations joined the search, along with teams from Gloucestershire Cave Rescue Group and Midlands Cave Rescue Organisation. We suspended the search at 23.00.
  The person was fortunately found safe and well by police in the small hours and received support.

  19th Nov 2021

  19th Nov 2021

• Newport 17-11-21

  Following a request from Gwent Police, SARA Lifeboat 14 ‘The Maureen Easton’ was launched this morning to investigate sightings of a possible body in the River Usk.
  Crewed by members of SARA Newport & Beachley Stations, a search was conducted from Uskmouth up river to the M4 bridge. Nothing was found and the lifeboat returned to base mid-morning.

  17th Nov 2021

  17th Nov 2021

• M48 Severn Bridge 16-11-21

  HM Coastguard Chepstow at 16.30 today asked SARA Beachley to assist with a search for a vulnerable person who it was thought may have entered the water in the vicinity of the Severn Bridge.
  SARA Lifeboat 1 ‘The Jim Hewitt’ was launched and completed searches upstream and downstream of the Severn Bridge. SARA Sharpness crew were brought to station readiness in case further support was required.
  Whilst the search was in progress, the person was found by the Police inland, safe and well, and the lifeboats were stood down at 1830.

  16th Nov 2021

  16th Nov 2021

• Worcester 14-11-21

  Land search crew from SARA Wyre Forest and Tewkesbury Stations were asked by West Mercia Search & Rescue to assist West Mercia Police with a missing person search in the Worcester area today.
  Sadly, during the search, a body was located outside of our search areas.
  The thoughts of all the crew are with the friends and family of the deceased.

  14th Nov 2021

  14th Nov 2021