Full Breakdown
Portsmouth Lifeboat Station Temporarily Closed After Far-Right Protest
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On 7 September 2026 the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) announced that Portsmouth lifeboat station was “temporarily off-service” following an incident on 6 September in which two RNLI crews rescued a dinghy carrying asylum seekers near Eastney. Far-right activists attempted to block the road to the landing site, and police officers were injured. In the aftermath, crew members were labelled “traitors,” protests were held at RNLI headquarters in Poole, and the station’s Facebook page was taken down.
Background & Context
The rescue occurred in a busy maritime corridor; Portsmouth is one of the United Kingdom’s most active ports. The dinghy was reported to have carried roughly 120 people (Guardian) or about 140 people, making it one of the longest small-boat journeys across the English Channel. The incident sparked a wave of abuse directed at RNLI volunteers, who were warned not to wear the charity’s branding for safety reasons.
Official Statements & Responses
- Jacqui Irons, head of the RNLI’s south-east region, said: “Portsmouth lifeboat station has been temporarily off-service since 7 September. We have a duty of care to our people. We therefore took the decision to pause activity at the station to review crew safety and wellbeing, and to support those involved in the incident on 6 September.” — Jacqui Irons
- The charity refuted rumors that it housed asylum seekers or moved migrants to secret locations, calling such claims “completely baseless and untrue.”
Data & Statistics
- The RNLI recorded 9,058 lifeboat launches in 2025, of which 109 (1.2 %) were to small boats in the Channel.
- The September 6 rescue involved two RNLI crews and a dinghy carrying either 120 (Guardian) or about 140 migrants.
- Volunteer Del Somerville, 42, was remanded in custody after admitting violent disorder related to the protest; he also faces an assault charge against a police officer.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the number of migrants rescued: the Guardian cites 120 individuals, while the Mirror estimates about 140. No official figure has been released to reconcile this discrepancy, and details about the identity of the “two RNLI heroes” named by protesters remain unverified.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Portsmouth lifeboat station has been temporarily off-service since 7 September. We have a duty of care to our people. We therefore took the decision to pause activity at the station to review crew safety and wellbeing, and to support those involved in the incident on 6 September.” — Jacqui Irons, RNLI head of south-east region.