03/06/2026
Call Outs 066 – 106 | May 2026
May has been our busiest month on record, with the team responding to an incredible 41 incidents as we head towards the traditional summer peak.
The month saw periods of sustained operational demand, with as many as five call outs within a 24-hour period and, at one stage, three separate incidents in the space of just one hour. For a team of volunteers who respond around family life, work commitments and personal time, it has been a remarkable effort by everyone involved.
The variety of incidents has once again demonstrated the unpredictable nature of our role. During May the team responded to casualty evacuations, a yacht washed ashore on Seaford Beach, a RIB stranded on Brighton beach, a jet ski in difficulty, kayakers and windsurfers requiring assistance, reports of ordnance amongst the rocks at Saltdean, multiple searches for missing people, and several incidents involving people cut off by the tide.
We were also pleased to assist our colleagues from one of our nearby lifeboats when crew members found themselves stranded ashore during an incident.
With the warmer weather and Bank Holiday weekends bringing more people to the coast, our volunteers have been kept exceptionally busy. While we love seeing people enjoy our beautiful coastline, we'd encourage everyone to check tide times, weather forecasts and sea conditions before setting out, and to ensure they have the appropriate equipment for their activity.
Away from incidents, the team has continued with regular training, equipment checks and maintenance to ensure we remain ready to respond at a moment's notice. Highlights this month included an excellent rope rescue exercise where we trialled a new recovery method designed to improve deployment speed whilst reducing the amount of equipment required.
As always, none of this would be possible without the support of our families, employers and partner agencies. Their understanding and encouragement allow our volunteers to answer the pager, often at very short notice and at all hours of the day and night.
Thank you to everyone who supports the team and helps keep our coastline safe.
If you see someone in difficulty on the coast, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
