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Hartlepool Lifeboats launched during Storm Austen

Lifeboats News Release

Hartlepool RNLI volunteers were paged at 9.42am on Friday 23rd October by Humber Coastguard to attend an area outside the Hartlepool Marina piers where a man overboard device had been activated.

RNLI/Tom Collins

Both Hartlepool RNLI lifeboats pictured at sea during the search.
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Both Hartlepool RNLI inshore and all weather lifeboats were launched at 10.00am and proceeded to search an area outside the Marina along with a Coastguard helicopter from Humberside.

The device that caused the alert was believed to have been activated inland and with nothing found the search was eventually stood down by Humber Coastguard at 11.25am.

Hartlepool RNLI Lifeboat Operations manager Steve Pounder said 'The volunteer crewmembers conducted a thorough search of the area in difficult conditions they then safely returned back to the Ferry Road lifeboat station at 11.30am where the boats were refuelled and made ready for service by 11.55am.

Sea state was described as moderate with an easterly 15 knot wind.

RNLI/Tom Collins

Hartlepool RNLI inshore lifeboat and volunteer crew pictured at sea during the search.
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RNLI Media Contacts

For further information, please contact:

Tom Collins, 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]

Key facts about the RNLI

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.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

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.

About the author

Tom Collins
Lifeboat Press Officer, Hartlepool Lifeboat Station

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