Gosport lifeboat crews to star in Rescue 999 on Channel 5

The show, ‘Rescue 999: Seconds To Save A Life’, began on Friday, showing Gosport & Fareham Inshore Rescue Service in action.

Airing on August 16, 20, and 23, the series was filmed at the independent lifeboat station last year over a period of five months. It captures several dramatic rescues in The Solent area. In the first episode, crews can be seen attending to a yacht in difficulty in Ryde Harbour.

GAFIRS stars in three episodes of the series – on August 16, 20, and 23 (Image: Supplied)

Other incidents included offering assistance to an injured individual in Portsmouth Harbour, aiding a broken down jet ski in a busy Solent shipping route, and helping a boat struggling in rough seas off Lee-on-the-Solent.

The Gosport station has responded to 77 incidences so far this year, making it one of the busiest in the country.

The Gosport station has responded to 77 incidences so far this year (Image: Supplied)

Mike Allen, GAFIRS operations director, said: "We are delighted our lifesaving work will be highlighted on national TV showing our volunteer crews in action.

"Many people don’t realise the work we do on the water when the lifeboat is called out and this series will show the incidents from the crews’ perspective thanks to body-worn cameras.

"As an independent station we work hard to raise our own funds separately from the RNLI and national showcases like this are vital to show off the hard work, professionalism and dedication of our crews."

Rescue 999: Seconds To Save A Life features emotionally charged, real-life emergencies from all over the UK, unpicking the series of events leading to rescuing people in the most perilous of situations.

Both the rescuers and casualties re-tell the story from both sides of the drama as viewers follow an unfolding narrative of the rescue from start to finish.