Suffolk Coastal MP Therese Coffey has called for an urgent meeting with the boss of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) about a potential 'downgrading' of Aldeburgh's lifeboat capacity.
The EADT revealed in March that the RNLI had been liaising with volunteers and staff at Aldeburgh about the 'correct lifeboat configuration' for the Suffolk coastal station as the current all-weather Mersey-class lifeboat Freddie Cooper has reached the end of its operational life.
READ MORE: Suffolk: RNLI reviewing Aldeburgh Lifeboat provision
But Ms Coffey is concerned that the charity plans to replace the Freddie Cooper with an inshore Atlantic-85 boat, which would 'restrict the station's capabilities'.
She has sent a letter to the RNLI's chief executive Mark Dowie asking to discuss the situation, with a decision on the lifeboat expected this summer.
She said the 'consensus locally' had been to opt for a Shannon-class lifeboat and two significant donations had been received towards covering the cost of the vessel.
READ MORE: Aldeburgh news
She added: “There was a Life Saving Review carried out in 2017 where it was concluded that the station required a new all-weather lifeboat.
"The consensus locally has been to opt for a Shannon-class lifeboat and two significant donations were previously received to cover the cost of the boat as well as launching equipment.
"Not only is it concerning that there appears to be little progress in considering this preferred option, there now seems to be a real risk of a downgrade, which is not acceptable.”
READ MORE: Suffolk news
“Instead, I want the chief executive to proactively engage on this matter as there is clearly a local appetite to be part of the solution rather than opting for a far less capable lifeboat.”
An RNLI spokesperson said the aim was to have the 'most appropriate lifeboats in place which will save the greatest number of lives in the most effective way'.
The Aldeburgh station has been operating since 1851 and so far this year, crews have attended one incident - on April 2 to a yacht that had run aground.
In 2022, there were seven calls.
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