Margate’s RNLI lifeboat has investigated a report of a drifting inflatable beach toy off the Thanet coast.
UK Coastguard received a call from an aggregates dredger around 2.30pm today (19 July) reporting sighting an inflatable beach toy around two miles north east of Foreness Point. There were no signs of anyone nearby and Margate RNLI was asked to investigate.
The B class Atlantic 85 lifeboat was launched and once it arrived at the datum position found no sign of the object. A search of the area was carried out allowing for tidal drift and for both actual and no wind conditions.
The search covered an area to the south towards Joss Bay and to the west to the SE Margate buoy off Westgate and towards the shore.
After two hours with nothing other than two helium balloons being found the search was terminated and the lifeboat returned to station, the call considered a false alarm with good intent.