A white parachute flare has been used to search for a swimmer reported missing near Littlehampton, on the UK south coast.
HM Coastguard asked Littlehampton RNLI to help search for a swimmer reported in difficulty one evening in February.
The crew launched the Atlantic 85 Renee Sherman inshore lifeboat searched the shore and also the waters between Elmer and Felpham as dusk fell.
A spokesperson says, “To increase visibility on the water the crew launched a white parachute flair at 6.20pm illuminating the sea surface over a broad area.”
An extensive search was carried out but nothing was found. The Coastguard told the RNLI crew to stand down.
Simon Tann, Deputy Launch Authority at Littlehampton for this incident, says, “We thank the member of the public who called 999, asking for the Coastguard, for their vigilance. Although on this occasion our volunteer crew did not find any indication of a casualty in the water, our charity is available 24/7 to assist those in distress at sea. The support of members of the public as eyes and ears to potential incidents is a key element of our life-saving capabilities and we would always encourage calling 999 if there are any concerns about persons or animals in the water.”
The image of the crew preparing to launch is courtesy of RNLI/Beth Brooks.
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