A multi agency search has been carried out in the bid to find a woman missing from Upstreet and last seen in Minnis Bay.
Margate’s two RNLI lifeboats are among those taking part in the extensive search for Claire Knights who was last seen in Upstreet yesterday (August 23) morning.
She is thought to have travelled to the Minnis Bay area, where she is reported to have been seen later that afternoon.
The 54-year-old is described as around 5ft, 6ins tall, with straight brown, greying hair. She is thought to be carrying a red or pink rucksack and was walking a white and brown spaniel.
It is understood the dog was found running around on Minnis Bay beach without a collar or lead and taken to the police.
Margate’s B class and D class lifeboats were tasked just before midnight last night after UK Coastguard received information that Claire was missing and her dog had been found alone.
The Coastguard rescue helicopter from Lydd Airport along with Kent Police and Coastguard Rescue Teams from Margate, Herne Bay and Deal also responded, carrying out a search on land while the lifeboats undertook a shoreline search between Minnis Bay and Reculver and up to half a nautical mile offshore.
After around two hours the sea search was called off with the lifeboats returning to station, the shore-based agencies continued their search on land.
Around 10:30am today (Thursday 24 August) Margate’s two RNLI lifeboats were tasked again, joined by Whitstable RNLI’s Atlantic 85 lifeboat to recommence the search with Coastguard Rescue Teams and Kent Police also involved on shore.
The lifeboats searched close inshore between Margate and Reculver from the shoreline and up to one nautical offshore, the three lifeboats coordinating their search effort to saturate the area.
After around two and a half hours, again without result the sea search was called off with onshore searches and enquiries continuing.
Kent Police has issued an appeal for the public’s help to find Claire. Officers are concerned for her welfare and urge anyone who has seen her or knows of her whereabouts to call 999, quoting reference 23-1922.
