Big air-sea search ends with South Cliff find

At its peak, Monday evening's search involved lifeboats, inshore rescue craft, Coastguard rescue teams, the Solent-based Coastguard air-sea rescue helicopter and the Coastguard Islander fixed-wing aircraft from Kent.

They were seeking two men and a woman who had not been accounted for since leaving Rye Bay in a ribbed inflatable.

Their craft was found abandoned at South Cliff. The three were later found to be unharmed.

The evening light was beginning to fade as at the Bexhill Coastguard station, Coastguard Rescue Officer Gary Tidman explained: "Three persons in a ribbed left Rye Bay at 2pm.

"This afternoon they were seen passing Hastings look-out at 4pm.

"As they were seen going towards Sovereign Harbour the search extended to there.

"Eastbourne inshore rescue boat and the Eastbourne all-weather boat put out.

"The Hastings inshore boat and the Rye inshore boat have been taking part as have the Rye, Hastings, Bexhill and Eastbourne Coastguard coast rescue teams.

"The Coastguard helicopter 'Whisky Bravo' came up from Solent and it has been joined by the Coastguard fixed-wing search aircraft from Manston in Kent.

"The helicopter found the boat very quickly east of the Cooden Beach Hotel.

"It was inshore and tied up to a groyne at South Cliff.

"We have assisted the Hastings inshore rescue boat in re-floating the rib and it has been towed to Sovereign Harbour."

Visibility was good and the wind was Force 3 to 4 at the time but concern had been growing because the light was beginning to fade.

The search was witnessed from their South Cliff home by Observer reader Heather Morrey and her husband.

Heather, who promptly e-mailed pictures to the Observer, said: "We suddenly became aware of this helicopter coming VERY near at about 7.30pm or a bit before.

"We were in the middle of supper.

"We though 'O my goodness!' and then we saw the lifeboat.

"We left our supper and went down to look. The Hastings lifeboat was close inshore so we went down to the bottom of the garden to have a look.

"We saw the Eastbourne inflatable coming right inshore.

"Backed up against the breakwater was a blue inflatable, looking rather wrecked.

"It was sort of running up against the breakwater at a funny angle and its outboard motor was tipped up.

"They towed it off with the big lifeboat. One of the crew of the inshore boat got off onto the boat and helped launch it."

Ray Shayler, of Pages Avenue, was also among those who photographed the scene for the Observer.

He said: "Just after 7.00 pm, the Coastguard and the RNLI were called to the shore beneath South Cliff, where an outboard-powered inflatable boat was found abandoned on the beach.

"Land-based Coastguard together with a rescue helicopter and a spotter plane were deployed and three RNLI vessels, including two inshore craft.

"An eyewitness later told the Coastguard that she had seen two men and a woman leave the boat and walk off towards Bexhill town.

"When I left the scene the about 7.55 pm the Coastguard and RNLI were still examining the abandoned boat amid much speculation as to the occupants who had decamped."

It is understood the party got into difficulty after the ribbed inflatable ran out of fuel.