At 6:29pm today Sunday 4 July 2021 both Exmouth RNLI Lifeboats were tasked by H.M. Coastguard to search for a missing paddleboarder between Straight Point to east of Budleigh Salterton.
Exmouth RNLI Inshore Lifeboat D-805 George Bearman II launched at 6.37pm, crewed by Harry Griffin, Henry Mock, Ed Thomas and Mark Cockman. The lifesavers commenced a detailed shoreline search from Straight Point to east of Budleigh Salterton.
Exmouth RNLI All Weather Lifeboat 13-03 R & J Welburn launched at 6.50pm commanded by Second Coxswain Scott Ranft and crew Roger Moore, David Preece, Andrew Stott, Matt Bragg and James Searle. They took on a similar offshore search for the paddleboarder, described as wearing a bright orange top and using a grey and white paddleboard and black paddle, and who was last seen at 5.45pm on the water off Lime Kiln Car Park, Budleigh Salterton. Two H.M. Coastguard search and rescue teams also assisted in the search on the ground in the same vicinity.
At the conclusion of a comprehensive search by the lifeboats with no sightings of the paddleboarder, both were stood down by H.M. Coastguard at 7.47pm today and were back on service a short time later.
RNLI safety advice for paddleboarders can be found here :
https://rnli.org/safety/choose-your-activity/stand-up-paddle-boarding
