On Sunday, 25 August, at 3:05 pm, Eastbourne RNLI was alerted by Solent Coastguard to assist in the rescue of two individuals cut off by the tide under the Seven Sisters cliffs. The distress alert, sent via an iPhone SOS message, prompted the immediate launch of the D Class Inshore lifeboat ‘David H’ into challenging sea conditions.
As the ‘David H’ made its way towards the casualties, the Launch Authority requested additional support from the Trent class All Weather Lifeboat (ALB) ‘Esme Anderson’ and Newhaven Lifeboat. However, as the ALB entered the locks at Sovereign Harbour, it was redirected to assist a personal watercraft (PWC) that had encountered mechanical issues just outside the harbour entrance, with two people onboard.
The ALB crew quickly arrived at the scene, but the difficult sea conditions made attaching a tow to the PWC challenging. Meanwhile, the Inshore Lifeboat (ILB) arrived at the location where the two individuals were stranded. They were met by Coastguard Rescue Helicopter 163, which winched the casualties to safety, transferring them to the waiting Coastguard Rescue Officers.
After the successful airlift, the ILB was stood down, marking the end of a coordinated and efficient rescue operation involving multiple agencies under adverse conditions.
