This morning, a substantial search and rescue operation was launched off the coast of Hastings after debris, believed to be from a ship, was found in the water. The search involved several agencies, including the Navy, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), and the UK Border Force.
The search began at 8:45am when parts of what appeared to be a ship were seen south of Hastings. HM Coastguard coordinated the response, deploying a Coastguard helicopter, a fixed-wing aircraft, and the RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat from Hastings. Additional support came from nearby vessels and the Border Force vessel Seeker from Dover. Even the Finnish minelayer FNS Uusimaa, on its way from Turku, Finland, to Cadiz, Spain, participated in the effort.
The search focused about eight nautical miles off the Hastings coast. Despite the large-scale effort, the operation was later stood down when it was confirmed that the wreckage was from a previously known incident—a sailing vessel that had run aground at Seaford Head in East Sussex on April 19.
