A missing diver in St Margaret’s Bay triggered a search involving three lifeboats and two UK Coastguard helicopters on Monday (12 March).

The City of London II Dover lifeboat assisted RNLI crews from Walmer and Dungeness Lifeboat Stations and the UK Coastguard helicopter Rescue 163.

The search area for the missing casualty extended from St Margaret’s Bay to Dover harbour. It has been reported that the diver was a father from Faversham. The man is believed to have entered the water around 11.30am.

Dover RNLI joins search for diver. Credit: RNLI

At 3.50pm, after three hours of searching for the missing casualty, the Walmer lifeboat Donald McLachlan returned to station for a crew change and refuelling. The Dungeness lifeboat and Coastguard helicopter Rescue 175 from Lee on Solent were paged to assist and cover the changeover.

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Walmer lifeboat returned to help in the search after the crew change with the diver still missing at sea.

The casualty was not located and after a further 50 minutes Walmer’s Donald McLachlan was stood down.

The Dover lifeboat City of London II remained on scene and the search continued into the night but at 21.10pm the search was deemed inconclusive and the Dover crew regrettably returned to the station.

The casualty is still missing.