News

Dover Coastguard Senior Watch Manager Peter Legg issued this warning to families, "Do not take inflatables to sea. They are toys and should be tethered to the shore if used at all. Do not venture out on the water in fog when it is easy to become disorientated and lost and very difficult for anyone to find you."

The warning came after Dover Coastguard coordinated a search for four children in an inflatable seen drifting out to sea in fog at Eastbourne yesterday (3 June).

The alarm was raised by Sussex Police at about 4pm, who had received a call that a yellow and orange inflatable had been spotted drifting out to sea into thick fog with four young people on board.

Dover Coastguard immediately started a search operation which included the Eastbourne RNLI inshore lifeboat, the rescue helicopter from RAF Wattisham and Eastbourne Coastguard Rescue Team who searched from the shore along with Eastbourne lifeguards.

Thick fog hampered the search but the inflatable and the four boys aged about 13 years old were finally found safe and well by the Eastbourne Coastguard Rescue Team onshore.

Peter Legg said: "If you see anyone in difficulty at sea dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard."