Newcastle RNLI rescue six fishermen in 12 hour call out
Newcastle RNLI rescued six fishermen yesterday afternoon (Monday 5 February) in a call out that lasted 12 hours.
At 3.10pm, the volunteer crew members at Newcastle RNLI were alerted by their pagers that Belfast Coastguard had requested the lifeboat to go to the assistance of a fishing vessel 15 miles south east of Newcastle harbour. The boat had broken down and required assistance.
The lifeboat crew that included a teacher, a builder, an outdoor instructor and a local business man all dropped what they were doing and made their way to the lifeboat station where they were chosen to go to sea and assist the stricken fishing boat.
Weather conditions at the time were calm but cold with excellent visibility. The all-weather Mersey class lifeboat Eleanor and Bryant Girling was launched at 3.20pm and reached the casualty vessel at 4.20pm.
Communications were made with the skipper and it was agreed that the best option was for the lifeboat to tow the boat back to the port of Kilkeel. While the tow got underway at a slow speed of four knots and with 15 miles to go, the estimated time of arrival in Kilkeel was approximately 8.30pm. However, due to size of the vessel and the tide ebbing, the lifeboat crew were not able to enter the harbour until 1am.
At 12.30am it was decided to launch Kilkeel RNLI’s inshore lifeboat to assist with the manoeuvring of the fishing vessel into the tight harbour entrance. Shortly after 1.20am the vessel was alongside the quay and handed over to Kilkeel Coastguard rescue team.
Speaking following the call out, Nathan Leneghan, Newcastle RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer said: ‘This was the first call out of the year for Newcastle RNLI and we were delighted to help bring the fishing crew to safety. This was a long and challenging call out due to the tide and size of the boat but we worked with the conditions and with the support of colleagues from Kilkeel RNLI were able to bring the boat to safety. We would remind anyone taking to sea to always respect the water. Check weather and tide times before you leave and always let someone ashore know when you are leaving and when you are due back. Always wear a lifejacket and always carry a means of calling or signalling for help should you get into difficulty.’
Ends
RNLI media contacts
For more information please telephone Nathan Leneghan, Newcastle RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07851264466, email Nathan_Leneghan @rnli.org.uk or contact Nuala McAloon RNLI Regional Media Officer Ireland on 00353876483547 or email [email protected] or Niamh Stephenson RNLI Regional Media Manager Ireland on 00353871254124 or [email protected]
RNLI online
For more information on the RNLI please visit www.rnli.org.uk. News releases and other media resources, including RSS feeds, downloadable photos and video, are available at the RNLI Press Centre www.rnli.org.uk/press
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 over 230 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and has more than 100 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK. 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 137,000 lives. The RNLI is a charity registered in England, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland.
A charity registered in England and Wales (209603) and Scotland (SCO37736). Charity number 20003326 in the Republic of Ireland
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.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.