
Swimmer saved by Hartlepool RNLI
Hartlepool RNLI volunteers were paged by Humber Coastguard at 3.15pm on Saturday 19th August to search for a swimmer that appeared to be in some difficulty approximately 250 metres off Seaham Harbour.
Both the inshore lifeboat and all weather lifeboats with volunteer crew members were launched at 3.30pm and were on scene at 4.05pm.
As the inshore lifeboat commenced a search of the harbour area the all weather lifeboat crew quickly located the teenage swimmer and were able to take the casualty aboard the boat and provide casualty care.
A Coastguard helicopter lowered a paramedic on to the all weather lifeboat where the casualty was then assessed.
Both the paramedic and the casualty were then placed on to the inshore lifeboat and transferred to Seaham Harbour where the local emergency services were waiting to assist.
Duty coxswain Matt Adams said "We were lucky to find the casualty so quickly who was almost a mile off the harbour and was extremely tired but this is the sort of job we train for on a regular basis with good team work from my fellow volunteers we brought the incident to a safe and satisfactory conclusion".
Both lifeboats returned to the Ferry Road lifeboat station at 5.30pm and were refuelled and made ready for service by 5.50pm.
For more information please contact Tom Collins, Hartlepool RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer at: [email protected] or Clare Hopps, Regional Media Officer on 07824 518641 or, [email protected] or contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.
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
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.