THE DAY
RESCUE
‘It was a cold winter’s day,’ says RNLI
Hovercraft Crew Member Emily Jones.
‘I’d just come off my nightshift as
THE WIRRAL
a firefighter when we got the call.’
Two dog walkers are stuck fast in the
Leasowe Bay mud on Wirral Beach.
They’re waist-deep in water and
at the mercy of an incoming tide.
WITNESSED
‘When you hear that people are
in mud and there’s a rising tide, you’re
thinking: “they’re going to drown if we
don’t get them out quick,”’ says Emily,
who, like most of her crewmates,
FLYING DOGS
is a volunteer. Prior to 2002, the only
way to reach casualties marooned in
places like this was either by helicopter
or by walking with the aid of crawling
boards – a slow and laborious process.
Luckily for the dog walkers, nearby
Hoylake is one of four RNLI stations
We’ve had more than 20 years of hovercraft-enabled rescues – that is home to a rescue hovercraft –
the Hurley Spirit is swiftly launched,
this one will stick in the memory of the crew and the crew of four each has an
important role. ‘Hovercraft handling
is pretty challenging,’ Emily explains.
Piloting one is a bit like pushing a
wonky-wheeled shopping trolley.
‘Especially when it’s windy. We often
have to move around the craft to
change the weight distribution, flag
hazards to the pilot, and help them
navigate a safe approach to casualties.’
RNLI Hoylake’s Hurley Spirit flying home from Leasowe Bay The shore crew often have their work cut out cleaning down the muddy hovercraft
16 Lifeboat spring 2023
Once on scene, the Hoylake crew
find the dog walkers now chest-deep
in water. Their eight dogs keep vigil
nearby on firmer ground. Using specialist
equipment such as mud mats, a sand
lance and lifting gear, the crew eventually
manage to free the two women and
get them on board. Four of the dogs,
eager to reach their owners, have swum
out to the hovercraft, and they hitch a
ride too. While the remaining dogs are
rounded up by the police, the casualties
are flown to shore on the Hurley Spirit,
where they are handed to the Wirral
Coastguard Rescue Team.
‘This was a challenging rescue,’ says
Hovercraft Commander Harry Jones.
‘With the tide flooding in quickly, every
Hovercraft Crew Member
Emily Jones flew to the rescue with
Hoylake crewmates
second counted.’ Packs of daredevil
dogs aside, rescues like this aren’t
unusual for the RNLI’s hovercraft crews.
Each year, mudflats and sandbanks
catch people out, and unless help
arrives quickly, the consequences
can be serious.
The launch of a real lifesaver
Fast and manoeuvrable, hovercraft
can reach 30 knots. They perform a
vital role, enabling crews to take
the direct route to casualties in
areas where the land is too soft
for vehicles and the water is too
shallow for boats. They’re stationed
at Hoylake, Hunstanton, Morecambe
and Southend-on-Sea. In the 20 years
since the first craft was introduced
in 2002, RNLI hovercraft crews have
saved 70 lives.
Those saved owe their lives to some
clever design and some serious skills.
Two fans underneath the craft provide
lift, while two more fans at the rear –
working in the same way as aeroplane
propellers – provide the thrust.
Steering is controlled via aerofoil-shaped
rudders, which helps to explain why the
hovercraft is flown by a pilot instead of
being steered by a coxswain.
Ready for anything
When their pagers go off, volunteers
never know what sort of rescue they’ll
be called to, so they have to be prepared
for anything. Visitors to the coast can
do their bit to stay safe advises Hoylake
Hovercraft Commander Chris Williams:
‘Always check the weather forecast
and tide times and tell someone where
you’re going and when you’ll be back.’
‘We know all the danger hotspots,’
says Emily. ‘But, unfortunately, visitors
from outside the area aren’t always
aware of the risks. And my heart still
goes every time I hear those beeps.’ ■
Words: Darren Crew
Photos: RNLI/(David Edwards, Nigel Millard)
Lifeboat spring 2023 17