On Wednesday 12 August, Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat (PLIRB) received their new launch vehicle replacing their 30-year-old unit, which had been suffering from several mechanical failures.
The timing of the new arrival could not have been better: on returning from a shout after the eclipse on 12 August, the starter motor and electrics on the old vehicle stopped working completely.
In July, the PLIRB appealed for funds for the cost of a second-hand launch vehicle and within three weeks the money was raised. Jo O’Mara of PLIRB thanked supporters for their donations. “When our launch vehicle started suffering significant failures, we had no choice but to refocus our fundraising priorities and issue an emergency appeal. With no launch vehicle we would be unable to provide lifesaving services to our community – which would be devastating during the summer months. Having only recently appealed for a new engine, we had real concerns that we were asking our community to financially support us again. But support us they did, and we were overwhelmed with the generosity we received. In three weeks we received sufficient donations to be able to secure a replacement vehicle – one we had viewed as a future purchase and one that will last longer than most of us!
“With the combined factors of increases to our taskings, the wider area we are covering and the reduced service from flanking RNLI stations, we simply cannot afford to not be able to respond. We are the only lifeboat asset in this area that is continually and consistently on service.”
It has been a very busy year for the PLIRB with 38 shouts already this year, including the tragedy at Camber, compared to a total of 30 in the whole of 2025.
Image Credits: Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat .