Light reported in sea off Beadnell
At 1.39am on Wednesday 30 December 2020, UK Coastguard requested the launch of Seahouses inshore lifeboat (ILB) to investigate a report from a fisherman, of a light in the water on the north side of Beadnell point.
Local Coastguard Teams from Seahouses and Howick had also been mobilised, and the police were also attending.
On arrival, the inshore lifeboat began a search in unpleasant breaking surf and freezing conditions. An angler's head torch was located, still illuminated, and recovered from the water.
UK Coastguard then requested the inshore lifeboat to conduct a search of the area, in case the owner of the torch, had also gone into the sea. Nothing was found, and at 3.20am the inshore lifeboat was stood down and returned to station.
Consideration had been given to also launch the larger all-weather Shannon lifeboat from Seahouses, but the shallow water and breaking surf where the lamp was reported, would have prevented the lifeboat getting close inshore, and was therefore inappropriate on this occasion.
Seahouses Lifeboat Operations Manager Ian Clayton said: 'We can only assume that this head torch had been accidentally discarded and washed into the sea. There was concern that its owner may also have gone onto the water but a search found nothing. An inconclusive outcome is never the best, and we can only hope the lamp’s owner is safe and well.'
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For more information please contact Ian Clayton, RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer: [email protected]
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