The Sheerness RNLI Lifeboat was at sea for more than four hours on Monday as if responded to three calls in quick succession.

The crew of volunteers were asked to launch by UK Coastguard at 3:50pm to aid a small yacht in trouble near Chatham Dockyard, although after launching were told that he had gone aground upstream of Thunderbolt Pier.

The crew of the inshore lifeboat ‘Buster’ arrived near the scene at 4:42pm when they received word from the UK Coastguard that a man had reportedly jumped off the M2 bridge.

They were on scene within ten minutes and immediately searched the river alongside the Sheppey and Medway Coastguard Rescue teams, Kent Police and Coastguard Helicopters and members of the public who assisted in searching the shoreline.

The search is still ongoing.

The lifeboat station in the meantime received a call from the UK Coastguard that a small yacht had run aground near the mouth of the river.

Three crew members drove to Garrison Point, where they entered the water and made contact with the man, who had been blown ashore after weather worsened and he was left without fuel to motor to safety.

The craft was towed to the south side of Camber where it was safely secured.

The crew arrived back on station at 8:27pm.