Thermal camera helps Blackpool lifeboat crew find a person in the water

A thermal camera helped Blackpool lifeboat volunteers find a person in the water during a recent rescue, according to a new RNLI account. The charity says the camera quickly picked out the casualty, allowing the crew to bring them to safety.

The RNLI is testing thermal cameras on its lifeboats, including handheld Ocean Scout Pro devices for inshore crews. These detect heat, giving rescuers another way to search when darkness makes a person difficult to see.

Manufacturer FLIR describes a wide, 32-degree field of view that lets users sweep an area, alongside controls designed for one-handed use. At Chiswick, crews have also practised finding a rescue dummy carrying a hot-water bottle.

This remains early evidence. The RNLI does not give a date or measured search time for the Blackpool rescue, and one successful incident cannot establish how much the cameras improve rescue rates.

Used alongside searchlights, radar and crew experience, an extra way to spot someone has already made a practical difference on the water.

Sources

• RNLI — Thermal cameras in training and a Blackpool rescue, 6 October 2026
• FLIR Marine — Ocean Scout Pro design and specifications