Gosport lifeboat rush to concern for welfare report of individual in water during 'extensive' police search
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Police and coastguard resources were both involved in the search
Emergency services launched an extensive early hours search following reports of a person in the water.
Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Service (GAFIRS) crews were deployed at 2.14am last Friday (September 25). They rushed to River Medina, Isle of Wight, to join police units and Coastguard Rescue Teams from Ventnor and Bembridge.
A HM Coastguard spokesperson said emergency services were responding “to a report of concern for a person” in the water in Newport. GAFIRS said the lifeboat was launched just 25 minutes after its crews were in bed - later using a built-in FLIR camera during the search.
“With the tide falling rapidly, it was a race against time to locate the casualty before the Joan Dora Fuller was restricted by the reducing water depth,” they added. “This unique piece of technology gives our crew an invaluable capability when searching in darkness, allowing them to scan the surrounding area for heat signatures that may otherwise be invisible to the naked eye.
“In the early hours of the morning, with limited visibility and a falling tide, every tool at our disposal can make a crucial difference.” The coastguard spokesperson said the operation was stood down at around 5.35am.
They added that “after an extensive search, no one was found to be in distress”. GAFIRS said: “Our crew was eventually stood down due to the tidal conditions and returned to base, and their beds.”