RNLI face three major call outs in two hours to help with rescue mission

On 4 September, the day before most schools in the North East went back, Tynemouth RNLI was called out three times in two hours to help people in difficulty.

At 2:54pm, both Tynemouth inshore and all-weather lifeboats were requested to launch to South Shields to locate an eight-year-old boy who had gone missing on the beach. Tynemouth inshore lifeboat arrived on scene and searched along the very packed beach but with no sign of the child.

The Severn all-weather lifeboat conducted parallel searches further out to sea in case they had been swept further out to sea. Coastguard teams from South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade (SSVLB) and Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team also assisted by searching the beaches.

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While the inshore lifeboat (ILB) was on scene, the volunteer crew received an immediate re-tasking request to head south to Whitburn, where four people were cut off by the tide.

The ILB made its way down the coast to the location, before being advised the casualties had managed to make it back ashore. They were then tasked back to South Shields to support the continued search for the eight- year-old.

On the way back up to South Shields it was confirmed that the child had been found and that the lifeboat was to stand down. Tynemouth lifeboats made it back to the station and were hosed down and fuelled up ready for service.

As they were calling Humber Coastguard to let them know, they advised there were two people in the water in-between the Tyne Piers. Tynemouth inshore lifeboat launched again to the South Pier, where the casualties were found.

The Tyne Pilot boat had been able to locate the casualties and directed the ILB to them. The crew conducted health checks on the individuals who were a little wet, but otherwise fine and handed them over to the Coastguard rescue teams.

If you need assistance by the coast, please dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

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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 142,700 lives.