The lifeboat launched to a report of a broken down speedboat south of the wind farm.

The council’s water safety patrol boat (WASP) was also in attendance and the lifeboat took the 16-foot craft and its five occupants under tow for Herne Bay harbour.

However at 1655 Thames Coastguard diverted the lifeboat to the Isle of Sheppey following a report of a person on a rubber ring off Leysdown. The lifeboat therefore dropped the tow, just outside Herne Bay Pier Head, leaving the WASP to take over the tow of the speedboat.

Whitstable Lifeboat commenced a search of the area between Shellness and Leysdown. During the search, a yachtsman off Shellness, reported seeing a pink inflatable in the vicinity of the Ham Gat and the lifeboat investigated, finding a pink beach ball in the process.

The crew continued with the search but nothing was found and the lifeboat was released from the incident to return to station.