Newbiggin RNLI lifeboat volunteers called out four times in 24 hours

The first call came in from the Coastguard Operation Centre at Humber following a request for assistance from a Newbiggin fishing boat. The lifeboat was quickly launched and located the casualty vessel in the Cambois Bay. A tow was set up and the casualty was towed back to Newbiggin.

During the first service an angling boat was observed by the lifeboat crew as signalling for assistance and so the lifeboat was relaunched to head south back into the Cambois Bay area. This pleasure angling boat which was broken down with two persons on board needed a tow back to their River Wansbeck mooring. A tow was secured and a slow passage was made into the Wansbeck estuary. With the casualty safely secured the lifeboat returned to station and was made ready for service.

The final call of the day came in around 5.15pm to another broken down boat. The casualty vessel had suffered engine failure and was drifting towards the rocky foreshore in a freshening south east wind with choppy sea conditions. Thankfully a contractor dive vessel ‘Neptune’ from CRC Commercial Rib Charter with crew which included a former RNLI trained crew Chris Johnson from Cullercoats lifeboat spotted the danger and quickly secured a tow from ‘Neptune’ to hold the casualty off until the lifeboat arrived. The lifeboat arrived on scene shortly afterwards, took over the tow and headed south to the Blyth harbour. The casualty vessel with four persons on board was towed into Blyth and onto the visitors berth. Blyth Coastguard Rescue team rendezvoused with the lifeboat at the harbour giving assistance and offering safety advice to the casualty vessel crew.

The fourth and final call for the busy 24 hour period came in just after 4.00am today following reports of a missing person.

The Coastguard Operation Centre at Humber had received a call regarding a missing person who could be in the sea in the Sandy Bay area. Lifeboat crews from Newbiggin and Blyth lifeboat stations launched while ashore the Newbiggin and Blyth Coastguard Rescue teams began a shore search. Shortly afterwards the missing person was located by the Northumbria Police search team and the incident was closed

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For more information please contact Richard Martin, RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on: 07980 010544.

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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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