BARB Search & Rescue

Search – reported collapsed person near tide line Wednesday 26th August 2026, 23:07 – duration 2 hrs 8 mins Our team was paged by HM Coastguard late in the evening following a report of a person collapsed near the tide line, with footprints seen leading towards the water. On receiving the call, further details were gathered and the team quickly split into two: one crew prepped a hovercraft for launch, while the remainder prepared for a foot search. The hovercraft launched with a pilot and BARB crew member aboard, carrying out a slow, methodical shoreline search from the launch area…

Foot search – two missing 12-year-olds Saturday 15th August 2026, 21:55 Our team was tasked by HM Coastguard to carry out a foot search for two missing 12-year-old boys. Coastguard teams and our crew were paged simultaneously to begin the search. By coincidence, one of our on-call coordinators was already at work and in the company of the boys’ family at the time, giving the team valuable first-hand information right from the outset. The boys were located safe in Brean. Once officers were in company with them, our team was stood down. A quick resolution to a worrying situation for…

Missing person search – Bleadon Sunday 26th July 2026, 12:26 – duration 5 hrs 49 mins Our team received a phone call from a Mountain Rescue Search Team member requesting assistance with an ongoing search for a missing person in the Bleadon area. A boat was requested to support the search. A water search team was sent ahead to begin working along the waterways on foot while others returned to the unit to prepare the boat. The boat was taken to the Riverside Caravan Park, where crew members and two Mountain Rescue personnel carried out a river search together. A…

Search for person – Burnham Yacht Club Friday 17th July 2026, 14:26 Following on from the previous tasking, our crew responded to reports of calls for help coming from marshland south of the yacht club. Contact was made with Burnham Coastguard Rescue Team, and it was agreed no craft was needed — this would be a foot search only. A team of crew, led by a search team leader, carried out a zig-zag search pattern across the marshland. Another searcher was already in the area on arrival, believed to be linked to the same report. Once the search was complete,…

Vulnerable missing person – Burnham Friday 17th July 2026, 14:07 Our crew was tasked to assist with a search for a disorientated lady reported missing in the Burnham area, with four crew members attending and on scene for just under two hours. On arrival at the station, initial contact was made with RNLI Lifeguards, the first informants, to obtain a full description of the missing person. As further details came in, our team was stood down from this tasking and re-tasked to another incident. A good example of how quickly taskings can change as new information comes in and priorities…

Assisting with a helicopter landing on the beach Sunday 12th July 2026, 14:12 Our on-call crew was tasked to assist with a helicopter landing on the beach, supporting the aircraft in reaching a casualty or carrying out its operation safely on the sand. Soft or uneven beach terrain, along with the tide state, can make helicopter landings tricky, so ground crews are often called in to help mark out a safe landing zone, keep the public clear of the area, and liaise with the aircrew on arrival. The tasking was completed without incident, and our crew stood down once the…

Busy day for the crew at Weston Lifeboat Day While supporting Weston Lifeboat Day, our on-call hovercraft crew was approached by a member of the public with concerns about someone in the water. HM Coastguard were called in to assess, and it was confirmed to be a buoy rather than a person in difficulty. Shortly after, a second member of the public raised the alarm that a young boy had gone missing in the water. The crew began kitting up for a shoreline search while RNLI lifeboats self-launched to search from the water. Within a short time, one of the…

Tasking near Royal Sands, Weston-super-Mare Our crew liaised with Police at the scene, who were searching for a missing person, HM Coastguard nearby and passed on an updated location. Details were confirmed with the Coastguard officer in charge, and the craft launched shortly after, carrying out a slalom-style search pattern south of Steep Holm. No sightings were made during the search, and the team was stood down by the Coastguard officer in charge.

BARB’s crew were called out following reports of people stuck in mud in Weston. Shortly after leaving the station, they received confirmation from the coastguard that those involved were safe.

BARB’s crew were called out following reports of people stuck in mud in Weston. Shortly after leaving the station, they received confirmation from the coastguard that those involved were safe.