26/05/2026
Volunteers at Southend-on-Sea RNLI lifeboat endured a busy and historic May Bank Holiday weekend, launching a staggering 15 times to rescue visitors caught out during the record-breaking hot weather.
https://rnli.org/news-and-media/2026/may/26/southend-rnli-launched-15-times-as-record-heatwaves-bring-thousands-to-the-coast
As temperatures soared thousands of people flocked to the Southend coastline to enjoy the sunshine. The sheer volume of visitors combined with challenging coastal hazards led to a very busy weekend for the RNLI lifeboat crew. Over the course of the long weekend volunteers responded to several back-to-back emergency calls, ultimately bringing 14 people to safety.
The range of incidents highlighted the varied dangers of the local coastline, with crews tasked to beachgoers trapped by the rapidly rising Essex tide, individuals stuck in the mud, people getting into difficulty while swimming and trying to cool off in the water and searches for missing people. Inshore rescue hovercraft H-004 Vera Ravine bringing four people to safety while inshore lifeboat D-904 Sue Sorotos bringing 10 people to the safety of shore.
The Southend RNLI volunteers were delighted to hear news from lifeboat helm Jonathan Charnock that one of the casualties rescued on Sunday afternoon had used the Float to Live method to survive while the lifeboat was on its way.
Jonathan Charnock RNLI volunteer Helm/Commander said: ‘Hot weather and clear skies naturally brought many people down to the beaches of Southend. With most enjoying the benefits of the sea, it proved to be a busy weekend for the crew of Southend RNLI lifeboat.
‘Working with our joint services partners I’m proud of the efforts our hovercraft & boat crew, our shore crew launching and recovering the assets and providing first aid and the pan emergency service responses.
‘To see a girl using the Float to Live method as we approached on the lifeboat was great, she saved her own life by floating, something to be very proud of, a brave girl.
’In total 14 people were rescued over the weekend, to return all to the shore and for them to be able to get home safely, a day at the seaside could have had a very different outcome without the efforts of the Southend-on-Sea RNLI lifeboat station volunteers and fellow blue light agencies.’
While the vast majority of the public enjoyed the coast safely, Southend RNLI are issuing an urgent safety plea following a few dangerous incidents during emergency launches. On multiple occasions, members of the public entered the designated lifeboat launch zone while crews were attempting to launch.
This forced the volunteer crew to halt operations entirely until the area could be cleared, risking precious time.
Southend RNLI launching authority said: ‘When the pagers go off, our crews are racing against time, we encountered people climbing the gates into the launch zone this weekend, which immediately compromises safety and delays our response.
‘We would like to remind everyone that when a lifeboat is launching, every single second counts. Please keep clear of the launch zone, when the gates are closed the area must be kept clear for the crew to launch as quickly as possible.’
The exceptional weekend required a seamless, coordinated effort across emergency services. Southend RNLI would like to extend its sincere thanks to the local HM Coastguard rescue teams, the East of England Ambulance Service, and Essex Police for their vital collaboration and tireless efforts throughout the holiday weekend.
With summer approaching, the RNLI urges anyone visiting the coast to check tide times, check the weather forecast, and always swim at a lifeguarded beach. If you walk on the tidal areas, wear suitable footwear, tell someone where you are going and when you will be back, make sure you know the low tide time and walk towards shore before low tide to give plenty of time to reach safety, finally, take a mobile phone in a waterproof case.
If you see someone in trouble in the water, dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
If you get into trouble in the water, Float To Live. https://rnli.org/safety/float
How to float:
· The best way to float is to tilt your head back with your ears submerged.
· Try to relax and breathe normally. You can gently move your hands and legs to help you stay afloat if you need to.
· Spread your arms and legs out to improve stability – and it's OK if your legs sink, we all float differently.
· Once your breathing is under control, call for help or swim to safety.
· Practise floating in a supervised location like a swimming pool.
Volunteers at Southend-on-Sea RNLI lifeboat endured a busy and historic May Bank Holiday weekend, launching a staggering 15 times to rescue visitors caught out during the record-breaking hot weather.
