Busy Sunday morning for Cullercoats RNLI
In the space of 4 hours on Sunday 4 June, Cullercoats Lifeboat was involved in 3 incidents in and around Whitley Bay and Cullercoats.
At around 8.30am, the volunteer crew who had gathered at the lifeboat station for their usual exercise noticed that a motor launch trying to get ashore from a nearby boat had suffered engine failure. The volunteer crew offered assistance to the boat owners and safely got them towed back to the mother ship named Tres Hombres.
Later that morning, at around 10.45am The skipper of the Tres Hombres asked for assistance from Tynemouth RNLI in getting his vessel to a safe harbour because as she is powered only by sail and has no auxiliary engine, she relies on the now broken-down motor launch to manoeuvre in port. With very strong winds expected on Monday, the vessel could have been in a precarious situation so, after discussions with UK Coastguard, it was decided that the safest option for it was to tow her into the river Tyne.
Tynemouth RNLI towed the Tres Hombres and her crew of 15 to North Shields Western Quay without further incident, escorted by Cullercoats RNLI lifeboat who put two crew members ashore on the quay to assist with mooring.
On returning to Cullercoats Lifeboat station at 12.25pm Humber Coastguard tasked Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade and Cullercoats RNLI Inshore Lifeboat to investigate reports of a swimmer possibly in difficulty just off Browns Bay. The gentleman had been observed to be making little progress in the sea and appeared to be some distance from the shore. The Lifeboat arrived on scene and spoke with the man who confirmed that he required no further assistance and was quite happy to make his own way ashore.
Ben Bradshaw, Helmsman Cullercoats Lifeboat said: ‘This Sunday morning was our usual exercise day and already prepared, helped with the broken down motor launch. Working closely with our sister station at Tynemouth, we were also able to assist by escorting the towing and mooring of the sailing ship. Finally, as we were already at sea we were able to respond quickly to the reports of the man potentially in difficulties at Browns Bay. Thankfully he was OK and able to make his own way to shore.’
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.
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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
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