RNLI Vows to Continue Rescues Despite Attacks on Volunteers

Key facts

• The RNLI charity is continuing to rescue asylum seekers in the Channel despite facing abuse.
• RNLI chief executive Peter Sparkes condemned threats against volunteers and refuted rumors about housing asylum seekers.
• Channel rescues represent only 1.2% of the RNLI's total operations.
• Volunteer testimonies highlight the life-saving nature of Channel rescues.
• The RNLI operates under international maritime law to assist those in distress at sea.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has affirmed its commitment to rescuing asylum seekers in the English Channel, despite volunteers and staff facing abuse and baseless rumors. RNLI chief executive Peter Sparkes stated that staff and their families are being threatened by individuals hiding behind masks or keyboards, calling such actions unacceptable.

Sparkes specifically refuted claims that the RNLI houses asylum seekers on its premises or moves them to secret locations, labeling these rumors as "completely baseless and untrue." He emphasized the charity's long-standing tradition of rescuing people without judgment, fear, or favor for over 200 years.

Data from the RNLI indicates that Channel rescues constitute a small portion of its overall work. In 2025, the charity launched its lifeboats 9,058 times, with only 109 of these (1.2%) responding to small boats in the Channel. Furthermore, nearly 95% of individuals crossing the Channel in small boats were intercepted by the UK Border Force.

Volunteer testimonies shared by the RNLI underscore the critical need for their operations. Dan Sinclair, a volunteer helm, described a rescue where a family's boat was sinking, with a young girl expressing her gratitude. Paula Lain, a volunteer crew member, recounted saving a man who was losing strength while clinging to a boat in the water.

The RNLI explained that its crews respond when HM Coastguard reports people in danger at sea, adhering to international maritime law which mandates assistance to those in distress. The charity stressed that its crews save lives regardless of who the individuals are or how they came to be in difficulty, rejecting the notion that they operate as a 'taxi service' for asylum seekers.