Newbiggin RNLI called out to drifting yacht tender

The call for lifeboat assistance came in around 2.15pm after the small inflatable was seen drifting south of Church Point. Local dolphin watchers had been monitoring the area for the popular marine mammals when the craft was spotted. It was not clear whether anyone was on board the tender so lifeboat assistance was requested.

Newbiggin’s Atlantic 85 B class lifeboat Richard Wake Burdon was duly launched from the beach with four volunteer crew on board heading south to the search area. Arriving on scene minutes later the empty casualty vessel was located after a brief search and brought ashore on the lifeboat.

Further enquiries were conducted by Humber Coastguard to yacht traffic passing that location earlier in the day and it was subsequently ascertained that the tender had been from one of these yachts.

Once ashore the vessel was handed over to the Newbiggin Coastguard team who had assisted in the operation whilst the lifeboat was searching.

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