26 Jul #20 – REPORT OF DROWNING IN THE SEA – 24/07/2021 & 25/07/2021
A late night call-out for BARB’s volunteers when the team was called to Brean at 11.08pm on Saturday night by Burnham Coastguard Rescue Team alongside the RNLI and the Coastguard helicopter, following a 999 call reporting someone drowning in the sea.
The 999 call had been made to the Police control room from a woman who said she had entered the water to rescue her husband who was drowning near Brean Down, before her phone cut out.
BARB’s volunteers quickly launched our two hovercraft from Berrow beach in the darkness to join the search.
During close working with our Coastguard colleagues, we searched the beach between Brean Down and Burnham, scouring the tideline and investigating footprints in the mud and also speaking to several people along the beach.
A full, extensive search was undertaken of the mud leading out to the water’s edge while the lifeboats and Coastguard helicopter searched the water.
With nothing found and no more information or persons reported missing, the search was eventually called off by the Coastguard control room and our team was stood down and returned to Burnham around 1.30am on Sunday morning.
The dedicated BARB team carried out a full wash down and sanitisation, checking that our equipment was fully ready for service, before heading home for some welcome sleep at 3am.