At 2040 Thames Coastguard received a 999 call from a speedboat with two people on board, somewhere in the Thames estuary. They had been on passage from the River Blackwater to Burnham, but had become lost, and were now aground on a sandbank.

The search eventually involved lifeboats from Sheerness, Whitstable,  Walton, both boats from Margate, plus an RAF Sea King helicopter from Wattisham, Suffolk.

The casualties were located by the helicopter, winched aboard, and landed at Southend Airport.

More details HERE