Burnham-On-Sea Coastguards and RNLI crews were called out to two simultaneous incidents on Saturday evening (March 21st) during what became a notably busy weekend.
Both shouts came in just after 8.30pm when Duty Launch Authority Marc Smith was tasked by Coastguards to launch after reports of two people cut off by the incoming tide on the south side of Brean Down.
As that tasking was being accepted, a second emergency call came through reporting people in the water near the Gore Sands, close to Allandale Road — leaving crews responding to two incidents at once.
The D-class lifeboat Burnham Reach was paged at 8.33pm, followed two minutes later by the Atlantic 85 Doris Day and Brian, which was placed on immediate readiness.
On launching, the Atlantic 85 headed to Brean Down where the crew located two fishermen who were well equipped with lanterns and had planned to return as the tide dropped.
Their torchlight had been spotted from shore, prompting the call, but they were not in difficulty — a false alarm with good intent.
Meanwhile, the D-class lifeboat made its way to the Lower Light area where crews found a group of teenagers having a beach gathering.
They too were safe and not in trouble, marking a second false alarm with good intent. Both lifeboats were stood down and returned to Burnham slipway for recovery and wash-down.
As volunteers were packing away equipment at around 10pm, a man was found collapsed near the lifeboat station. Paramedic crew member Martin retrieved oxygen equipment from inside the station and assessed the casualty before calling for an ambulance, which transported the man to hospital.
The crews had also been called out on Friday evening (March 20th) to a person in the sea near the jetty, as Burnham-On-Sea.com reported here.
On Sunday, Burnham’s Atlantic 85 took part in a planned exercise with Barry Dock and Minehead lifeboats, rounding off a busy weekend.
Launch Authority Marc Smith said: “Overall, it was a busy weekend with three taskings followed by training. Great commitment from all the team, and two simultaneously reported incidents, both with successful outcomes. Fifteen people were assisted, all confirmed safe and well.”
