London CG requested the lifeboat to launch after receiving a report a ship had hit a Lafarge Jetty and crane. With no further information available at the time the lifeboat proceeded to a Lafarge Jetty at Purfleet and started a search.

Whilst searching off Purfleet the coastguard managed to obtain further
details and informed the lifeboat that the location was in fact Northfleet, which also has a Lafarge Jetty, and the vessel involved was
the 235m container ship Bonn Express. The container ship had hit the jetty and caused a crane to collapse.

The lifeboat proceeded to Northfleet, arriving at 0738.

London CG reported that all the crew on the ship, which was now proceeding on passage to Hamburg, had been accounted for, with no injuries. The collision had actually occurred at 0520, and the police, who had now departed, had already carried out a thermal image scan of the area around the crane, and confirmed no persons were involved.

The lifeboat therefore returned to station.

The lifeboat launched to a report of a yacht adrift off Greenhithe.

On arrival the unmanned craft was found pinned by the tide against the disused White's Jetty.

The yacht was taken under tow, and returned to its mooring.

Click here for picture 1

Click here for picture 2

Click here for picture 3

London Coastguard picked up a distress call from a small yacht which was becalmed close to Crayford Ness. The crew of the yacht could not get the engine started and they were in the path of a large commercial vessel heading outbound.

The coastguard requested Gravesend Lifeboat to assist the yacht. The lifeboat was on exercise nearby and made best speed to the yacht. On arrival the yacht had just managed to start the engine and a collision had been narrowly avoided. After checking the occupants were ok and the engine was running, the lifeboat left the scene and the yacht made its own way back to Thurrock Yacht Club.

Gravesend Lifeboat was requested to launch to a male threatening to jump from Newbridge Causeway. Kent Police were already on scene and requested that the lifeboat stood by while they talked to the person.

After a while the person was taken into Police custody and the lifeboat was released to return to station.

Whilst on exercise, the lifeboat came across a yacht aground on the Blyth Sands.

It was towed off into deeper water, and then, as the engine was giving problems, the tow was continued all the way to the vessel's mooring at Gravesend.

The lifeboat launched following a report of a person seen floating face down in the river at Woolwich.

When passing Margaretness the lifeboat was stood down, as the casualty had been recovered by a Police launch.

The lifeboat diverted from exercise to check on the well-being of a small sailing dinghy off Canvey Island, whose occupants were repeatedly trying to start their outboard motor.

On arrival no assistance was found to be required as, although the engine still would not start, the dinghy was making reasonable progress under sail.

Gravesend Lifeboat was requested to launch by London Coastguard to a report of a person threatening to jump into the river near the foreshore at Thamesmead.

Whilst passing Stoneness the lifeboat was stood down after the person had been taken into Police Custody.

Whilst on exercise the lifeboat was requested by London CG to assist the workboat Gravesend Pride which was in difficulties at Broadness.

Once on scene the vessel was found to be aground on the rocks at Broadness Point. The lifeboat attached a tow and after confirming that there was no ingress of water towed the vessel clear of the rocks. The lifeboat then took the craft under tow to her nearby berth at Halls Jetty where she was place alongside.

The lifeboat launched following a request from Kent Police to search for a suicidal male missing from the Gravesend area.

The lifeboat searched between Shornemead and Northfleet until 0430 when, with nothing having been found, the search was terminated.

The lifeboat launched to recover a small inflatable tender spotted aground opposite the lifeboat station.

The lifeboat launched after a report had been passed to Essex Police of a yacht sinking in the river.

Shortly after launching the lifeboat was stood down as it became apparent that the yacht was OK, and the call had been a false alarm, with good intent.

London Coastguard received a report of a sailing dinghy capsized in the vicinity of Mar Dyke in Long Reach. The Harbour Launch "Gunfleet" was requested to proceed to the scene, and Gravesend Lifeboat was simultaneously launched.

Gunfleet located the casualty, who had by now righted the vessel, and stood by the  casualty as he made his way back to Erith YC.
 
As no further assistance was required, Gravesend Lifeboat was released to return to station.

London Coastguard requested the Lifeboat to launch to a report of a boy in a small rowing dingy in the area of Greenhithe.  The boy was trying to paddle to the shore using a piece of wood.  Whilst on route to the incident, the Coastguard reported that the boy was now safe ashore and the dingy was on the beach.

The lifeboat launched following a report of a female threatening to jump into the river from Erith Jetty.

During the search the woman's mobile phone signal was traced, and police found her safe ashore.

Gravesend Lifeboat was requested to search the Grays/Thurrock area for a suicidal male. The man was located by a police helicopter on the shore near the Wharf pub in Grays.

A silent approach was made and the lifeboat stood off whilst police negotiators talked to the man. After a short period of time the male was handcuffed, and the lifeboat stood by until the police were able to move him away from the rocks and mud to safety.

The Lifeboat was launched to assist a person in the water at Harrisons Wharf Purfleet. Whilst en route the crew were informed of another person having gone in the water to assist the first casualty.

Once on scene the crew found that both of the casualties were out of the water and being assessed by ambulance personnel. The lifeboat was therefore released to return to station.

Whilst returning from our fuel barge Gravesend Lifeboat was requested to assist a tug in Sea Reach as a crew member had suffered two suspected broken ankles.

When they arrived on scene the lifeboat crew found the tug next to a work barge and the casualty was lying on some steel piles. The steel piles had apparently shifted and crushed his ankles. The coastguard had also tasked RAF Helicopter Rescue 125 to assist with the transfer to hospital, as the sea state would have made a transfer by boat very uncomfortable for the casualty.

The lifeboat crew checked the casualty's injuries and administered Entonox to help relieve the pain. The casualty was then put into the lifeboat's basket stretcher. Shortly after the casualty was placed in the stretcher Rescue 125 arrived on scene. The winchman assessed the casualty and administered Morphine to further aid with pain relief. The casualty was then prepared for the lift and winched onboard Rescue 125 for the short transfer to Basildon Hospital.

Click here for picture of the winchman arriving on scene.

Click here for a picture of the casualty being prepared for the lift.

Click here for a picture of the casualty just entering Rescue 125.

Gravesend Lifeboat launched to a report of a person in the water near Erith. When they arrived on scene they found a young female had fallen into the river and had been recovered on to a Port of London Authority Vessel. However, the PLA boat was unable to get in close enough the land her on a causeway to a waiting ambulance.

The casualty was transferred from the PLA vessel to the lifeboat and then taken ashore to the ambulance by the lifeboat.

Gravesend Lifeboat launched to a broken down tug drifting in the Barking area. The tug was towing a barge at the time and the combined weight of the tug, barge and cargo was approximately 1050 tonnes.

The lifeboat arrived on scene and secured a line to the vessel and held them against the tide in a safe location. After approximately 15 minutes another tug arrived on scene to take over the tow. Gravesend Lifeboat was then released to return to station.

The lifeboat launched following an EPIRB distress beacon alert in the Tilbury area.

Although the homing signal disappeared soon after launching, the lifeboat searched the area as far upstream as Thurrock Yacht Club, before being stood down.

Whilst on exercise the lifeboat crew overheard an incident on the radio developing at Southend, in which approximately 15 people had been cut off by the incoming tide. Due to the large number of people involved, Gravesend Lifeboat offered to assist, and was duly requested to proceed.

Whilst still en route, in the vicinity of the Chapman Buoy, the lifeboat was stood down, as the incident had been dealt with by Southend's lifeboats.

The lifeboat launched to search the Thurrock area for a missing person, who had left a note indicating suicidal intentions. Nothing was found, and after searching for an hour and a half, the boat returned to station.

The lifeboat launched again to resume the search at 1825, after the casualty's mobile phone was traced to the area of the previous search. As it was now high water, the search was able to be conducted nearer the shore, but again nothing was found. The lifeboat returned to station at 2000.

Gravesend Lifeboat was launched to search for a missing person who had threatened to jump into the river from Erith. Initially police had been unable to find the person at their home address, however whilst the lifeboat was conducting its search the person was later found at home.

The lifeboat was then stood down to return to station.

Whilst on exercise, Gravesend Lifeboat was requested to assist the passenger vessel Sarpedon which had suffered steering failure by the Thames Barrier. 

When the lifeboat arrived a local workboat already had a tow on the vessel, so the lifeboat assisted in berthing the craft alongside some moored barges.

The passengers were then taken ashore by a police launch.

Gravesend Lifeboat was requested to launch to a Belgian yacht which  had suffered engine failure just prior to passing through the Thames Barrier. It was decided to tow the casualty vessel through the barrier for the vessel's own safety and the safety of other vessels.

Once clear of the barrier the tow was let go and the vessel proceeded  under sail to St Katherine's Dock to seek repairs. The lifeboat then proceeded outward bound to start an exercise.

Gravesend Lifeboat was requested to launch to the sailing vessel Baracuda 2 which had lost all power and was being towed by another yacht. When the lifeboat arrived with the casualty the towing vessel was hardly making any way against the tide, so the Lifeboat took over the tow.

The Lifeboat towed the yacht  to Thurrock Yacht Club, where it was placed on a mooring.

Gravesend Lifeboat was requested to launch to evacuate a man from the vessel "PLA Diver", alongside a ship at Dagenham, after he had sustained a deep cut to his hand following an accident with a bread knife.

His hand had already been adequately bandaged by his colleagues, therefore he was taken aboard the lifeboat and landed ashore at Greenhithe Causeway, into the care of a PLA employee who was waiting to convey him to hospital.

The lifeboat then commenced a training exercise prior to returning to station.

The lifeboat was requested to assist the Tilbury Ferry which had lost an emergency floatation platform overboard due to strong winds. The lifeboat recovered the platform and returned it to the ferry before heading back to station.

The lifeboat launched to a report of a 20 year old man complaining of chest pains and requiring medical attention aboard a 30m sail training vessel off Holehaven.

An RAF Sea King helicopter from Wattisham was also tasked.

On arrival lifeboat crew members went aboard the vessel to administer oxygen and reassure the casualty, whilst awaiting the arrival of the helicopter.

The man was subsequently winched aboard the helicopter, and flown to Southend Hospital. See BBC News Link for more details and video footage of the winch.

After the casualty had been winched to safety it became apparent to the lifeboat crew that another person on board the vessel was unwell. The crew brought this man aboard the lifeboat and took him to a waiting ambulance.

Click here for photo 1

Click here for photo 2

Whilst on exercise Gravesend Lifeboat spotted a body in the water in Long Reach. The crew recovered the body onto the lifeboat and returned to Royal Terrace Pier, where the body was handed over to Kent Ambulance and Kent Police.

The lifeboat diverted from exercise to search between Gravesend and Denton following an incomplete 999 call indicating a person in the water. The PLA harbour launch and shoreside police also joined in the search.

However, the call was established to be a malicious hoax, and the lifeboat was stood down.

The lifeboat launched to a report of two people in the water from a tender off Thurrock Yacht Club.

On arrival both were found to have been recovered onto a yacht, but cold, and in a state of shock. They were wrapped on blankets, and oxygen administered, whilst the lifeboat landed them ashore to await an ambulance.

Gravesend Lifeboat was diverted from exercise to a broken down power boat at Erith. As the lifeboat arrived on scene the occupants had managed to re-start the boat's engine.

The lifeboat escorted them for a while to make sure all was well, before continuing on exercise.

Gravesend Lifeboat was requested to launch to reports of a teenager believed to be stranded on the mud beneath Tilbury Landing stage. Essex Police, and a police helicopter, also joined the search.

The mast was lowered in order for the lifeboat to pass below the brow to the landing stage to get to the search area. A crewmember with a torch and handheld vhf radio was landed ashore to search the shore area beneath the jetty, whilst the remaining crew on the lifeboat searched the concrete supports with the searchlight.

Further searching was hampered by a low support beam on the underside of the structure. The lifeboat crew therefore returned to station, only a minute away across the river, and returned in the Atlantic 75 lifeboat, which has lower air draught.

Once back on scene it was possible to access the entire search area, once again landing a crewmember to search beneath the structure.

It was later reported that the missing person had been found safe ashore, so all units were released to return to station.

At 1736 Gravesend lifeboat was tasked to a dog in the water at The World's end Pub in Tilbury. The dog was chasing a football in the river which was being taken away by tide and wind. The dog ignored the calls from it's owner and so the owner entered the water.

Once on scene the lifeboat recovered the dog and reunited the animal with it's owner at Tilbury landing stage. The lifeboat then returned to station.

Gravesend lifeboat was requested to launch to assist a survey vessel(Algia Rose) that was towing a broken-down speedboat.

Due to the size of the survey vessel and the ebb tide, she was unable to put the casualty vessel onto a mooring, so once on scene Gravesend  lifeboat took over the tow. Once in Holehaven creek the casualty vessel was placed onto a mooring  and five of the six occupants were landed to Canvey coastguard.

After refuelling and changing crew, Gravesend Lifeboat returned to Westminster Bridge, Central London, where a large demonstration was taking place.

Approximately 500 people were on the bridge, and threatening to jump "en masse" into the river.

Gravesend Lifeboat, along with Chiswick Lifeboat, and two boats from Tower Lifeboat Station stood by until released to return to station at 1121.

During this time a second crew provided lifeboat cover from Gravesend Station with our Atlantic 75.

Gravesend Lifeboat was requested to proceed to Westminster Bridge, Central London, where a large demonstration was taking place.

Approximately 500 people were on the bridge, and threatening to jump "en masse" into the river.

Gravesend Lifeboat, along with Chiswick Lifeboat, and two boats from Tower Lifeboat Station stood by until released to return to station at 0633.

During this time a second crew provided lifeboat cover from Gravesend Station with our Atlantic 75.

A member of the public at Greenhithe reported a small sailing dinghy floating around with no one on board, and which he considered to be a hazard to navigation.

The lifeboat crew found the dinghy loosely secured to Greenhithe Causeway, and placed it on a nearby mooring.

The lifeboat launched to assist a motor cruiser which had gone aground on the Blyth Sands, south of Shellhaven.

The lifeboat stood by until the tide had risen sufficiently, and then towed the vessel into deeper water.

After checking that all was well, the craft resumed its passage to the Medway, and the lifeboat returned to station.

The lifeboat was requested to launch by London CG to stand by a lady threatening to jump from a jetty at Woolwich. The lifeboat was stood down at Crayford Ness as the woman had been taken into Police custody. The Lifeboat then returned to station.

The lifeboat launched to a person seen signalling distress from a barge moored in Erith Reach.

Once on scene a thorough search was made of all of the moored barges and lighters and nothing untoward was found. The crew made several enquiries with local crew on a moored coaster and yacht but nothing had been seen.

The first informant was also not found; therefore the coastguard deemed it a false alarm with good intent and the lifeboat returned to station.

The lifeboat was requested to launch by Thames CG to a canoe drifting off Canvey Island.

The casualty had capsized close to the shore and had swum to the beach. The canoe had drifted out into the main shipping lane and was deemed a hazard to navigation.

The canoe was quickly located, drained and returned to the owner who was waiting on the beach. The lifeboat then returned to station.

The lifeboat launched to carry out a search following sightings of two red flares in the Gravesend/Northfleet area.

The lifeboat searched between Tilburyness and Shornmead but, with nothing found, the search was terminated, and the lifeboat returned to station.

The lifeboat was requested to launch to a report of a 24' motor cruiser broken down near the QE2 bridge.

On arrival the craft was found stuck under a jetty near the bridge.

The lifeboat towed the craft clear, and it then became apparent that the reason for the engine failure was a fouled propeller.

The vessel was towed to a mooring at greenhithe, where the lifeboat crew assisted in clearing the prop. After checking that all was OK, the occupants then resumed their passage to Limehouse, London.

The lifeboat was requested to search between Gravesend & Greenhithe following reports of white flares.

During the search a passing ship reported seeing a meteorite shower in the area, and the lifeboat was therefore stood down to return to station.

Whilst carrying out routine maintenance checks on the lifeboat the crew heard shouts coming from Gravesend Promenade. Upon further investigation the crew spotted a small dog in the water being swept away by the tide. The crew then launched and recovered the dog to the lifeboat, before reuniting the dog with its owner on the promenade. The crew also administered minor first aid to a gentleman who had fallen over whilst attempting the retrieve the dog.

Click here for a picture of the rescued dog.

The lifeboat launched in response to a "Mayday" from a yacht off East Tilbury marshes. It was sinking rapidly after having struck a submerged object, and the four persons on board were abandoning the vessel.

The lifeboat arrived on scene to find two people in the water, and two in the mud, having made the shoreline.

The two in the water were immediately recovered aboard the lifeboat, and found to be semi-conscious and unresponsive. They were put aboard the Port Health Authority vessel "Lady Aileen", which began heading for the Royal Terrace Pier, where an ambulance had been requested.

The lifeboat then recovered the other two occupants, who were stuck in knee-deep mud. They were brought aboard the lifeboat by a crewman with a safety line, and then also put aboard the Lady Aileen for warmth, before being landed at the Royal Terrace Pier.

All four were subsequently taken to hospital by ambulance, and the yacht was later recovered by a Port of London Authority salvage vessel.

Click here for BBC News Coverage of this service.

Click here for a picture of the start of the recovery operation.

Click here for a picture showing the vessel being lifted out. The extent of the damage can be seen by the amount of water coming from the hull.

The lifeboat launched to a report of an unoccupied yacht drifting off Greenhithe.

The craft was found aground on the shore, with its mooring buoy still attached. As it was impossible to recover the yacht from this position, it was left in situ, with a PLA harbour launch in attendance.

The lifeboat launched following a report of a small white boat drifting near the Mucking 1 Buoy off Shellhaven. On arrival the boat was found to be in a derelict condition, with no signs of recent occupation, and was taking in water rapidly due to the sea conditions.

Whilst the feasibility of towing the craft was being discussed with London Coastguard, it sank. The lifeboat remained on scene for a further fifteen minutes to check for any evidence of pollution on the surface, then returned to station.

The lifeboat was requested to launch following a report from a passing ship of a person in the water to the east of Denton.

On arrival the man was found walking along the shore towards Gravesend.

He advised the lifeboat crew that, having found his route blocked due to the exceptionally high tide, he had elected to enter the water waist-deep in order to continue his walk.

Gravesend Lifeboat was called to assist in the evacuation of a man with a broken ankle who had slipped on ice on board a barge at Northfleet.

Ambulance personnel were in attendance, but had requested lifeboat assistance to transfer the man ashore.

He was brought aboard the lifeboat, accompanied by two ambulance staff, and was landed ashore at Gravesend to an ambulance.

Gravesend Lifeboat launched to a report of a male stuck in the mud, with the tide flooding, at Erith.

Whilst proceeding London CG reported that it was believed that the casualty was now safe ashore, having been helped out of the mud by members of the public. However, the lifeboat was requested to continue until this was confirmed.

When the lifeboat arrived on scene, the casualty was indeed ashore, in an ambulance, prior to being taken to hospital. The lifeboat was therefore released to return to station.

Whilst on exercise the lifeboat found a dead cow floating in Long Reach.

As it was considered a hazard to navigation, the CG was informed, and the Harbour Launch requested to deal with its recovery.

The Pilot boat reported hearing a female shouting in distress near Gravesend Promenade. The lifeboat launched and carried out a search of the area, but nothing untoward was found.

Whilst on exercise a crew member spotted a lifejacket floating near Crayfordness, the lifeboat then diverted from exercise and conducted a search of the area. The coastguard contacted owners of the two vessels registered with the name marked on the lifejacket who confirmed they had not been in the area for some time. The searched was then called off and the lifeboat resumed its exercise.

The lifeboat was launched to search for possible missing persons after a yacht was found tied alongside the AEI jetty at Northfleet, with the engine running but no one aboard.

People ashore had also seen a small tender in the area, with three POB, and it was thought that this could be connected with the incident.

The search, which also involved the harbour launch and shoreside police, lasted nearly five hours, before being called off.

Before the planned recommencement of the search at first light, London Coastguard was able to establish contact with the owner, who confirmed that no one was missing, but that he had started the engine to charge the batteries.

The lifeboat launched to a report of an EPIRB (emergency position indicating radio beacon) which had been activated in Sea Reach.

As our new Atlantic 85 is equipped with VHF direction-finding, it was possible to home in on the beacon, which was traced to an inward-bound ship south of Canvey Island. 

An EPIRB on a lifejacket on board had been inadvertently activated, and was switched off once the ship had been informed.