Burnham-On-Sea RNLI volunteers were called into action on Wednesday afternoon (June 3rd) after a Personal Location Beacon was activated inland near the River Parrett.
Milford Haven Coastguard tasked the charity’s Atlantic 85 lifeboat Doris Day and Brian at 1.30pm, prompting a rapid launch from Burnham beach.
The crew made their way towards the Huntspill area to use the lifeboat’s Direction Finding equipment, while Rescue 187 helicopter was also sent to assist. The aircraft later confirmed the signal source was further inland near a local waste site.
Launch Authority Marc Smith said the crew were close to completing the task when a second, separate concern was raised. The town’s beach warden contacted Milford Coastguard to report what appeared to be two people at the water’s edge near the Maddocks Slade buoy, possibly stuck in mud as the tide receded.
Milford Coastguard paged the station again and the D‑class lifeboat was prepared for launch, although the Atlantic 85 was already close enough to reach the scene quickly. Marc said he also asked the Coastguard to consider paging the hovercraft due to the fast‑outgoing tide.
The Atlantic 85 carried out a search and confirmed the sighting to be a false alarm with good intent. What had looked like two people in difficulty turned out to be logs washed in by the previous high tide.
Both lifeboats were returned to the station and made ready for the evening’s planned training session.
Marc later thanked the volunteers for their swift response, noting that several had left work or stepped away from commitments at short notice to attend. “So much appreciated from yourselves, whatever you were doing, and from your employers,” he said.
