Volunteer crews were launched into action twice in just three hours when emergency pagers sounded for back-to-back life-saving operations off the Kent coast.
HM Coastguard launched a high-speed response shortly after 2:00 pm on Tuesday, 22 September 2026, tasking the Littlestone RNLI lifeboat Jean McIvor to assist a kayaker reported to be in severe difficulty in the water off Folkestone.
Dedicated volunteers were in the active process of launching the vessel with trainee driver Selina at the wheel of the launch and recovery tractor, when updated reports confirmed the casualty was safely ashore. The crew stood down, washed the vessel, and prepped it for immediate service, only to be thrown into chaos again less than three hours later.
At 5:22 pm, another urgent distress call alerted coastguards to a swimmer reportedly struggling in the water, again off Folkestone.
The Littlestone crew scrambled once more, powering at top speed to the casualty’s last known location. Upon arrival, the volunteers were relieved to receive confirmation that the swimmer had managed to battle back to dry land safely.