Fourth call out in a week for Berwick-upon-Tweed RNLI

A person had called 999 and asked for the Coastguard as they had spotted an inflatable boat with no one on board floating in the river.

Sea conditions were very calm with a light south east wind and a flooding tide.

As the lifeboat launched a yacht which had been berthed in the Berwick-upon-Tweed Dock was coming out the dock.

The Helm Michael Percy, crew Faye Bell and Shona Richardson made way to the yacht and came alongside it, where it became apparent, it was an inflatable boat used as a tender for the yacht, which had come loose and had been swept out into the river on the outgoing tide.

The Crew, escorted the skipper of the yacht and the inflatable boat, back into the dock to make sure all was well.

Helm Michael Percy said: 'A 999 call was rightly raised due to the fact the vessel appeared abandoned. which could have been adults or children who could have went overboard further up river enjoying the recent warm weather. Thankfully on this occasion it was something less serious and the skipper was on-scene to explain what had happened. Credit to the member of the public for raising the alarm.’

RNLI Media Contacts

For further information, please contact:

Hazel Bettison, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI North and East, [email protected]

Clare Hopps, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for North East and East England, 07824 518641, [email protected]

Richard Grange, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for North East and East England, 07483 112015, [email protected]

RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [email protected]

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The RNLI is the charity that 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 146,700 lives.

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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

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