Man Sparks Major River Search Near Isle of Wight Festival Before Being Found Safe Inside Grounds
Cowes RNLI kept busy over Isle of Wight Festival weekend with multiple incidents including swimmer scare and boat safety interventions
Volunteer lifesavers from Cowes RNLI and partner agencies launched a major river search on Saturday night (June 22) after a man was seen attempting to swim across the River Medina toward the Isle of Wight Festival site.
The incident began around 8.45pm, shortly after Cowes RNLI’s inshore lifeboat Sheena Louise launched for a scheduled patrol as part of the festival’s water safety operations. Festival security had reported seeing a man enter the water near Newport Rowing Club, sparking immediate concerns when he failed to reappear on the far side.
Large Multi-Agency Search Underway
With the harbour master’s authorisation, Cowes RNLI raced up the river to coordinate a multi-agency search involving:
- Cowes RNLI Lifeboat
- Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary RIB
- Needles and Bembridge Coastguard Rescue Teams
- Festival security patrol boats
Despite exhaustive shoreline and river searches carried out in fading light and against an outgoing tide, the man was not initially found. Just as teams prepared to stand down, the individual was located safe within the festival grounds.
Further Callouts for Lifesavers Over Festival Weekend
Cowes RNLI’s busy weekend didn’t end there. On Sunday morning at 10:00am, the crew was paged to assist a yacht reportedly taking on water off Calshot Spit. The team prepared to launch, but stood down after Hamble Lifeboat and Solent Rescue arrived on scene.
Later, at 11:15pm on Sunday, RNLI volunteers encountered a RIB on patrol with non-functioning navigation lights and no lifejackets. The vessel was safely escorted to Shepherd’s Marina and the crew received on-the-spot safety advice.
RNLI Advice: “Enjoy Safely”
Myles, Cowes RNLI helm for the weekend, said:
“The Isle of Wight Festival is a fantastic event, and it’s great to see so many people enjoying themselves.
Our job is to help ensure everyone stays safe while they’re having fun on or near the water.
Please remember to always follow safety advice, and if you ever see someone in trouble in the water, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.”
