VISAR was founded ~~VISAR was founded in 1988, at the request of the BVI Government and was modelled on the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in the UK, the world's oldest lifeboat service. Like the RNLI, and many other lifeboat services in Europe, it is an independent, volunteer-based organisation funded almost entirely by charitable donations. Since its formation VISAR has carried out well over 450 search and rescue missions, helped more than 1,200 people in distress and saved over 40 lives.