Coastal emergencies are on the rise as figures reveal that 2005 was the RNLI's busiest year on record.

The RNLI said its lifeboats were launched 8,273 times last year, compared with 7,656 in 2004, an eight per cent increase nationally. The previous busiest year on record was 2003 with 8,109 launches and 7,987 people rescued.

Eastbourne-based crews were the second busiest in the South-East behind Portsmouth, with 108 call outs to rescue 135 people.

There was a 50 per cent rise in call outs in Hastings while the Littlehampton-based crew had 81 launches, according to figures released yesterday.

In Brighton, the volunteers launched 57 times last year to help rescue 83 people, eight more people than in 2004.

Martyn Smith, RNLI divisional inspector for the East, of which Brighton is a part, praised the volunteer crews and lifeboat station personnel for devoting time and energy to saving lives.

He added: "I also wish to pay tribute to the volunteer management teams, shore helpers and fundraisers - without whom the RNLI could not operate."

The RNLI in Sussex was involved in some dramatic callouts last year.

Three Belgian fishermen died when their trawler, the Noordster Z122, overturned after its nets snagged on rocks 11 miles south of Beachy Head in December.

The Eastbourne-based crews were also involved in rescuing 11 people on a fishing trip when their boat was struck by two huge waves and sank in minutes.

Michael Vlasto, RNLI operations director, said: "As the number of pleasure boats in the UK is said to be 4.5 million and participation in watersports involvies around 3.5 million people, it is again not surprising the coasts of the south of England and Wales, both havens for watersports enthusiasts, are by far the busiest areas when it comes to rescues in the UK.

"Lifeboat launch statistics for June, July and August accounted for 47 per cent of our total launches during 2005, so summer sea users need to be much more aware of the dangers associated with the coast, especially when you consider many people are with their most precious possessions - their children."

The RNLI provides a 24-hour lifesaving service with 233 RNLI lifeboat stations and 4,800 crew, of which more than 4,500 are volunteers, across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. The charity also operates 59 seasonal beach lifeguard units across the south west of England.

Mr Vlasto said: "Thanks to the public across the UK and Ireland, we have arguably the most reliable and professional lifeboat rescue service in the world. The RNLI, which is a charity, invests in designing the most technically suitable lifeboats to achieve faster response time, and in providing the best training possible to ensure those in distress at sea are dealt with swiftly and efficiently - preventing man lives from being lost."