LETTER: Coastguards deserve credit

I'm writing in reference to an article in the Herald on Thursday, April 6.

The article was about the light aircraft which crashed on Shoreham/Lancing beach.

In the article it states that the RNLI services are praised for their response.

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The RNLI did attend initially with the ALB to locate the sunk aircraft but was stood down and returned to station as the aircraft had submerged and was not visible.

The HM Coastguard, Shoreham by Sea, spotted the aircraft tail some time later and requested assistance from the RNLI ILB to secure the aircraft, which then towed the plane to shallow water and working with HM Coastguard pushed the aircraft up to the shoreline. At no point did the coastguard helicopter attend the incident, this was a red helicopter from Shoreham airport and had nothing to do with the emergency services operation.

This in fact had gone prior to the arrival of the majority of emergency services and assisted in no way.

West Sussex Fire and Rescue technical rescue unit along with coastguards from Shoreham and Littlehampton then manoeuvred the aircraft to the top of the beach, finally being stood down at about 9pm that evening.

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This was a multi-agency operation and I feel that you have not checked all the facts thoroughly prior to going to press. HM Coastguards work tirelessly and voluntarily to protect us along our coastlines, quite often being the first emergency service on the scene, yet your paper never seems to mention them! About time we saw some well deserved praise for these unsung heroes!

Sacha Ladkin

Querneby Close

Shoreham

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