Drifting Boat Located Seven Miles Out to Sea

Saturday, July 18, 2009
Posted 11:23 GMT

At twenty minutes past eight this morning, Humber Coastguard received a call from their colleagues at Swansea Coastguard after a call was received via the Maritime and Coastguard Agency information helpline which is received at Swansea Coastguard reporting a vessel with engine failure somewhere off the pier at South Shields.

The lady had been contacted by her partner on the vessel stating that he had broken down and was drifting alongside South Shields pier in the middle of the sea, after departing from the River Tyne two hours earlier.

The information about the vessel was vague and very misleading indicating that the vessel had safety equipment and a radio on board. The first informant could provide no accurate information about the vessel at all.

Tynemouth Inshore lifeboat was requested to search the area around the piers but when nothing was located a search area was calculated outside the pier and Tynemouth All weather lifeboat and Rescue Helicopter 131 from RAF Boulmer were requested to search.

The vessel was located by the rescue helicopter 7 miles south east of the initial indicated position and the vessel was towed back to safety by the all weather lifeboat.

Coastguard Watch Officer Lynne Fry, Watch Officer, Humber Coastguard, said:

This incident could have had serious consequences.

The vessel was ill equipped with flares that did not work, one lifejacket between the two occupants, no VHF radio and no CG66 registration which would have helped in search and rescue operations. We hope that the boat owners learn from this experience and look at their own safety procedures and equipment.

Remember if you see someone in trouble on the coast dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

For further details contact:
The Maritime & Coastguard Agency Press Office
023 8032 9401