Selsey RNLI Lifeboat was launched at 12.10 p.m. on Wednesday 21st January 2015 at the request of Solent Coastguard. They had received a report that a woman was missing from a cross-channel ferry between Portsmouth (UK) and Caen (France).
The volunteer crew were paged at 11.00 a.m. to bring the Tyne class Lifeboat 'Voluntary Worker' to immediate readiness to launch. The Lifeboat launched at 12.10pm after being tasked by Solent coastguard to go to a position south west of Selsey. At 12.25 p.m. the Lifeboat was at the position. They were asked to set a course of 140 ° that would take them through the area transited by the ferry and initially follow that track for forty miles at a search speed of 10 knots.
The woman had boarded the Brittany ferry 'Mont St Michel' at Portsmouth on Tuesday night for the overnight crossing to Caen. On arrival at Caen on Wednesday at 7.30 a.m. the woman's unattended bag, passport and other personal belongings were found on the ferry but no sign of the lady.
The search involved Bembridge RNLI Lifeboat, Coastguard Helicopter Rescue 104, a fixed wing aircraft from Bournemouth Airport and a French helicopter. The weather on scene was wind south-south-east force 5, sea state moderate and a 1.5-metre swell. The area was covered comprehensively by all search platforms and at 4.00 p.m. the search was terminated. Selsey Lifeboat returned to station and was rehoused at 5.40 p.m., washed down, refuelled and made ready for the next call.
CREW: Geoff Mellett (Coxswain), Rob Archibald (2nd Coxswain), Phil Pitham (Mechanic), Max Gilligan, Gary Pearce, John Reeves and Steve Somner (Trainee).