Both Eastbourne lifeboats were diverted from crew training exercises on Sunday to assist coastguard cliff rescue officers with the recovery of a body at Beachy Head.
The coastguard officers were collected from the beach at Holywell by the inshore lifeboat crew and transferred to the waiting all-weather lifeboat as the sea conditions were too hazardous to traverse the notorious Beachy Head Ledge with passengers aboard. When both boats were in calmer waters the coastguard officers were put ashore by the ILB they then transferred the casualty to the ILB. The officers were then returned to the ALB and taken back to Sovereign Harbour. The casualty was taken ashore at the ILB station and passed into the care of the police coroner.