Find uplifting stories about heroes, innovations, and solutions
34 results for "lifeboats"
After half a century of service with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in Wales, Chris Williams has retired from a career that helped save at least 114 lives. His dedication to rescuing people at sea began in 1976 and spanned multiple roles across five decades.
A Scottish island community packed the local lifeboat station for the annual RNLI fundraiser, showing strong support for volunteer sea rescuers. The cake and coffee morning drew crowds who enjoyed sunshine, treats, and supporting a vital cause.
Two young brothers celebrating a family holiday were pulled beneath Blackpool Pier by powerful waves, but volunteer RNLI crews reached them just in time. Bodycam footage shows the heart-stopping rescue that brought both boys back to safety. #
RNLI volunteers pulled two boys to safety after they clung to a pier for 40 minutes as the tide rose over their heads. The grateful family returned to Blackpool to thank the heroes who risked their lives to save their children.
When a thunderstorm trapped a woman and her dog at the base of a Welsh cliff, volunteer rescuers navigated treacherous waters to bring them home safely. Both paddleboarder and pup made it out unharmed despite the dramatic conditions.
Britain's beloved lifeboat charity just received one of its largest ever gifts in a will, helping fund thousands of ocean rescues. The donation pushed legacy giving to £180 million, proving that everyday people's final wishes are keeping lifesavers afloat.
NASA just launched four astronauts to the moon with space suits designed to keep them alive for six days if their spacecraft fails. It's the first lunar mission in over 50 years, and these suits are basically wearable lifeboats.
A lifeboat crew in Scotland earned a Hero to Animals award after saving a dog that plunged into frigid ocean waters. The dramatic rescue at Seacliff beach brought together professionals and bystanders to save Sparkle the Weimaraner and her devoted owner.
When a seagull spent five hours trapped in fishing line, a lifeboat rescue expert didn't hesitate to jump into icy water. The dramatic rescue in Blackpool shows what compassion looks like in action.
A life jacket that saved a first-class passenger during the Titanic disaster just sold for over $900,000, more than double its estimate. The piece of history connects us to one of 700 survivors who made it through that tragic night in 1912.
When a sailboat capsized off the Scottish coast, an off-duty volunteer didn't wait for help to arrive. His split-second decision to launch a small rescue boat saved three lives in minutes.
Three mariners clinging to their sinking boat in the dark Atlantic waters got a second chance at life when Coast Guard crews arrived just in time. Standing on top of their nearly submerged vessel at 4 a.m., they watched help arrive by sea and air.
When two ships collided off Nantucket in 1956, rescue vessels raced through the night to save more than 1,600 passengers in one of history's largest maritime rescues. Seventy years later, survivors are sharing their stories of resilience and hope.
A Chinese passenger who survived the Titanic by clinging to a door inspired that famous scene from James Cameron's film. His grandson is now helping bring their erased history back to light.
%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Ftf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffiler_public%2F0e%2F51%2F0e51dd90-bdff-41cf-abcb-4af4b035564b%2Fshipwreck.jpg)
Paul Ehorn spent six decades searching for the Lac La Belle, a luxury steamer that vanished in an 1872 storm on Lake Michigan. Last year, he finally found it sitting upright on the lake floor, perfectly preserved after 150 years.
Four astronauts just completed humanity's first trip to the moon in over 50 years, returning home to Houston after a journey that brought them farther from Earth than anyone in history. Their emotional reunion with loved ones revealed just how profoundly the experience touched them.
A descendant of one of six Chinese survivors from the Titanic is finally sharing their little-known story of survival. This forgotten chapter of history is adding new depth to the legendary 1912 shipwreck.
A determined barn owl crash-landed on a British Army yacht 70 nautical miles from shore after failing to perch three times. The exhausted bird got a crew escort to safety while the sailors continued their 1,805-mile race around Britain and Ireland.
A fossil hunter discovered a swimmer's £3,000 prosthetic leg washed up on a beach 10 months after it was swept away by waves. Social media helped reunite the limb with its grateful owner, who can finally return to the water she loves.
Will Roberts has spent two decades racing into danger as an RNLI volunteer, saving seven lives and helping 662 people in trouble at sea. His journey started at age 17, following his father's footsteps into one of the world's most selfless services.
Showing 20 of 34