A LIFEBOAT station had a busy bank holiday Monday after responding to four incidents at sea. 

Clacton RNLI launched Atlantic 85 B-Class lifeboat ‘David Porter MPS’ for the first time on Monday at 7.55am to assist a vessel in distress. 

The crew went to the boat's last reported location near Gunfleet Sands.

The exact position and number of occupants were unknown at the time. 

Before the crew could reach the vessel, the coastguard informed the crew of a second ship, which had run aground approximately half a mile southeast of Gunfleet Lighthouse. 

After unsuccessful attempts to contact the second vessel, the lifeboat put a crew member aboard the first casualty and towed it back into deeper water. 

The boat's crew were checked and found to be well before continuing their journey. 

The second casualty vessel was then located and found to have run aground. 

A crew member was transferred to the vessel and helped the boat into deeper water. 

The crew were safe and well, and continued their voyage.

The RNLI crew returned to the lifeboat station but were called out again following a report of an person in the water near Walton Pier. 

On their way to Walton, the crew received a call from the coastguard at 12.03pm of an overturned vessel with multiple casualties in the water, east of Clacton Pier. 

The crew headed to Gunfleet Sailing Club, where a number of sailing dinghies had been recovered by the club’s rescue boat. 

The mobile coastguard and beach patrol were also at the scene, where all casualties were found safe, well and accounted for.

The lifeboat then went to the original call-out, where the Walton mobile Coast Guard crew had found and assisted the casualty.