The Brighton RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew rescued an injured teenage girl who had been swimming near the Palace Pier.
The crew found the girl clinging to the pier shortly after 8.20pm on Wednesday evening (11 August).
They had just reached their boathouse at Brighton Marina, having completed a training exercise, when the request to launch came in at 8.12pm.
The RNLI inshore lifeboat Random Harvest was launched at 8.20pm and reached the pier at 8.22pm.
The crew rescued the girl and made it back to the boathouse at 8.35pm in conditions that were described as calm and bright, with a force 2 westerly wind.
The girl was on the west side of the pier and was helped aboard the lifeboat by the crew who assessed her condition.
She had been spotted by customers on the pier and a life-ring had been thrown down to her.
When the lifeboat returned to the boathouse, the girl was passed into the care of a South East Coast Ambulance Service crew at 9pm.
Lifeboat helm Mark Steel said: “We were able to attend this incident extremely quickly as the crew had just finished their regular training exercise.
“Although we had changed into our regular clothes and were getting ready to go home, as soon as the call came in, we were straight back on to the lifeboat.
“Now we are in the summer holidays and schools and colleges have broken up, it is vitally important we make everyone, including young people, aware of the potential risks of going into the sea to swim.
“Our advice is to be prepared. Check the weather and tides, choose your spot, go with a buddy and have the right equipment.
“We would also urge anyone who sees someone in difficulty to call 999 immediately and ask for the coastguard.”
