Saving Lives at Sea
Saving Lives at Sea is a documentary on BBC1. Ordinary people, extraordinary bravery. From trawlers in peril to struggling swimmers, meet the army of RNLI volunteers working to save those in danger - whatever the weather. The program has been available since 2024. A total of 19 episodes have been broadcast, most recently in June 2025.
Last episode
Saving Lives at Sea
On the north eastern tip of Scotland, the crew at Wick begin a frantic search to find a paddleboarder who has drifted a mile out to sea while her family wait on the shore.
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In Whitby, North Yorkshire, the RNLI crew race to the rescue of two fossil hunters who are cut off by the tide - and soon find that they too are in grave danger.
The RNLI volunteers face a search in one of the worst storms in living memory, race to save three people caught in a rip current and two men stuck on an oil rig's anchor chain.
In St Agnes, the crew are involved in a race against time to rescue two young men. They are reported to be struggling in the water near a notorious headland known as Tubby’s Head.
In Trearddur Bay, the RNLI crew battle through a force 10 gale and huge waves to try to rescue a surfer - watched by their worried families back on shore.
In Portrush, Northern Ireland, the crew race to rescue a boy who has gotten into difficulties while jumping off rocks - and one of the crew volunteers enters the water to save him.
The volunteers of the RNLI battle to save a mother and her son who are caught in a rip current, and a man who has fallen over 100 feet from the top of a cliff.
The RNLI volunteers search for a missing kitesurfer, race to rescue a father and daughter being swept out to sea and try to save all nine lives of a casualty in the Thames.
Series 8
In north Wales, the Conwy crew respond to reports of two people - including a young boy - who have been caught out by the tide and are now struggling to stay afloat.
In Torbay, Devon, a yacht has sent out a mayday, meaning the lives of the six crew on board are in grave and imminent danger.
The RNLI volunteers race against time to try and save three people in the water in the Bristol Channel, a father and son trapped against a cliff face and a badly injured sailor.
The volunteers of the RNLI race to save a family trapped in their car, slowly being engulfed by the sea, two kayakers close to drowning, and a fossil hunter cut off by the tide.
The volunteers of the RNLI race to save a surfer at the mercy of Storm Brendan and a paddleboarder who’s being swept out to sea - and away from his young children.
Series 5
The RNLI volunteers race to save a teenage paddleboarder being swept out to sea, a sinking cargo ship and a yacht being battered by an Atlantic storm.
The volunteers of the RNLI race to save a stricken fishing boat in a force-eight gale, a yacht trapped on a weir in Loch Ness and a puppy that has swallowed a fishing hook.
Series 7
On the coast of south Wales, Penarth crew member Tom is called up for his first ever shout when a female paddleboarder is caught out by the tide.
On Ireland’s north west coast, the RNLI crew at Bundoran race to the rescue of a teenage girl who has been swept out to sea.
In Thurso, Scotland’s most northerly mainland station, the crew race to the rescue of an ocean-going rower who has run into trouble 40 miles out to sea.
Series 6
The lifeboat volunteers pluck a fallen climber out of the sea in Wales, and in Scotland they rescue a 170-ton fishing boat that’s perilously close to the rocks in gale force winds.