Inshore lifeboat George Bearman II and Shannon class lifeboat R and J Welburn launched on the evening of 11 June following a 999 call to the Coastguard.

The call was made from a member of the public who thought they had seen a person in the water, waving their arm in the air for help, east of the lifeboat station.

D class lifeboat George Bearman II launched first at 8.05pm and within 15 minutes, found a pink lilo a mile south east of the lifeboat station. At this point, Shannon class lifeboat R and J Welburn launched at 8.20pm but both were stood down, the Shannon at 9.16pm and D class lifeboat at 9.32pm after no further sightings.

Exmouth Coastguard team also assisted from the shore. Both lifeboats were ready for service again by 9.45pm.

Coxswain, Steve Hockings-Thompson said:

‘Following the discovery of the inflatable, our Crew volunteers on both lifeboats conducted search patterns for over an hour, advised by the UK Coastguard. There was a concern that somebody had drifted offshore and was difficulty. We had on board a thermal imaging device which members of the community had kindly donated recently, so if there was anyone in the water, we would have spotted them.’