Rescue Archive

Caister Lifeboat was paged last night (17/04/24) at 22:51 by Humber Coastguard with reports of 2 distress beacons 20 nautical miles NE of Caister. Our all-weather lif eboat, Bernard Matthews ll, was launched by 22:59, and the crew proceeded at best speed towards the coordinates provided. At 23:18 a call came through from the Coastguard to say it was a false activation from a military aircraft and to stand down. The lifeboat returned to the station by 23:36 for a full wash down and fuel up , ready for the next shout. 

This footage is taken from the third emergency call-out of the Caister Lifeboat tasked yesterday to reports of a swimmer in difficulty off Winterton.

Our last shout of 2021; with just four hours of the year remaining, at 1955 Caister Lifeboat was paged to launch. HM Coastguard had received reports of a red distress flare in the Scroby Sands Wind Farm or Scratby area. With Aaron Thurlow at the wheel and with coxswain Guy Gibson, second coxswain Tommy Williams, Greg Carter, Laurence Billington, Jamie Smith and Rob Bush on board, the Bernard Matthews II was in the water within seven minutes. Despite an extensive search, using our new high-powered search lamps, nothing was found. With Zane Billington on the tractor, Paul Garrod, Richard Thurlow, Alex Low and Colin Willavize on the beach, the boat was back ashore by 2115. Have a safe celebration tonight; and be careful fireworks don’t get mistaken for distress flares! Happy New Year everyone!!

Caister Lifeboat was paged at 18:23 this evening to reports of a Pan Pan call from a vessel north of Caister. The vessel Edradour had lost power to both engines and was drifting quickly at 5 knots along the coast with a risk of running aground on the beach. With Coxswain Guy Gibson at the helm, the ALB lifeboat Bernard Matthews ll was launched within 7 minutes and heading for the casualty vessel which was now directly in front of the lifeboat shed. Crew member Owen Nutt boarded the vessel Edradour to check persons on board and crew members Tommy Williams, Aaron Thurlow, Greg Carter, Laurence Billington, Adam Pimple and Rob Bush the prepared and connected a tow line to the Vessel Edradour. The ALB then towed the casualty to Lowestoft Harbour and arrived at 19:57. Due the extremely bad weather, it was decided the ALB would have to be beached for recovery. Tractor driver was Zane Billington and beach crew members to help recover the ALB were Colin Willavize, Karl Purenins and Jack Atkinson.

Tonight the Inshore Lifeboat was launched for a nighttime search and rescue operation. The simulated report stated a casualty was on the beach between Caister Lifeboat station and Winterton on Sea. The boat, under the command of Aaron Thurlow, with Jamie Smith on VHF radio and Andrew Turner and Robert Bush on the search lights, headed north on a flat calm sea at 6.5 knots. Within a few minutes, we spotted the casualty taking shelter on the rocks at California, where Andrew and Rob were put ashore to assess his condition and get him on board the lifeboat. Parts of this scenario could not be filmed for operational reasons but we hope you can get an insight into some of our ways of working by watching this film.

Two men had to be rescued off Happisburgh after their boat suffered engine failure in worsening conditions. Caister Lifeboat was paged at 1030, and launched under the co mmand of Coxswain Guy Gibson, second coxswain Tommy Williams with Greg Carter, Laurence Billington and Jack Atkinson as crew. The vessel had set off from Aldeburgh and was heading to Burnham Overy Staithe when it ended up in difficulties 1.5 miles off Happisburgh. Our crew found the men on board were wearing lifejackets and had a hand-held VHF radio, but the boat had no charts, no GPS system, no anchor or ropes and the men had no provisions on board. You'll see from the video how rough it was... it was worse at sea with up to 4-metre waves. Fortunately the men were ok; taken to Great Yarmouth harbour where they plan to undertake repairs and use a road trailer to complete the next part of their journey.

Our crew took the ILB to Hemsby to put on a display for their visitors. On arriving, our crew spotted an RNLI beach lifeguard being given assistance by a colleague. Having thought it was part of a display, they investigated and found one of the lifeguards had felt unwell on his paddle board... his head was being kept out of the water by his colleague. Our crew quickly manoeuvred him from his board onto the ILB, and gave first aid, Initially the casualty was put into the recovery position, then put into a stretcher and given oxygen. The ILB was taken to the shore to hand over the casualty to paramedics, where he was taken to hospital for further assessment and treatment. Richard Thurlow, who helmed the ILB, was a major part of the design committee of the ILB along with coxswain Guy Gibson. Richard said the ILB handled exactly how it was designed to for this type of emergency. The engine housing had been designed to create a platform to work on casualties well clear of the water. The jet propulsion system meant he ILB was able to be held steady on the shore as the casualty was taken in the stretcher from the boat to the ambulance. Crew: Richard Thurlow, Greg Carter, Karl Purenins and Danial Guillemette-Smith.

At 15:14 Caister lifeboat pagers went off, at 15:20 the ILB was in the water heading for an inflatable kayak that had been blown out to sea. The inflatable had been give n assistance by a passing jet ski, and the ILB took over on arrival. The coast guard arrived shortly after recovery on the beach and spoke with the person involved.

Following a 999 call to the Coastguard, Caister Inshore lifeboat was paged at 18:13 yesterday to reports of a Kayak drifting out to sea about a 1/2 miles from shore to t he north east of Caister. The crew, with assistance from Gorleston Coastguard Rescue Team, quickly made contact with the kayaker and found all was well. The crew then returned to station and made ready for the next call. In an emergency on the coast always call 999 and ask for the coast guard