Medical call for Seahouses Lifeboat
Lifeboats News Release
At 8.59pm on Thursday 10 September 2020, UK Coastguard requested the launch of Seahouses All Weather Lifeboat , to transport an ambulance crew to Holy Island.
An elderly woman had suffered a hip injury and was experiencing breathing problems. The ambulance was travelling from Alnwick, and the Causeway from the mainland was closed by the tide.
The Lifeboat was launched and took the paramedics to Holy Island by sea, where they were met by the local Coastguard Team, who conveyed them to the casualty’s location. The woman was examined by the paramedic, and had also been in the care of the local coastguards till arrival of the paramedics. Due to the casualty’s age and condition, it was considered that evacuation by lifeboat was not the most suitable option, and a helicopter was requested. The Coastguard Rescue Helicopter from Hull was scrambled and was soon on the scene. The casualty was then flown to the Royal Victoria Infirmary at Newcastle for treatment.
The tide was falling and by 11:10pm the Causeway was safe to cross. The Lifeboat withdrew at 11.30pm, to avoid becoming grounded by the tide at Holy Island Harbour, and returned to station where it was refuelled and rehoused by 12:50am. The ambulance crew were transported back to their ambulance at Seahouses by road by the Holy Island Coastguard team.
Seahouses Lifeboat Operations Manager Ian Clayton added, “This was a fairly straight forward task to get the Ambulance Crew to their casualty, with the assistance of the Holy Island Coastguard Team. The helicopter was certainly the best option for this casualty, and we wish her well and hope she makes a full recovery.”
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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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