Double call out for RNLI lifeboats off the coast of Hartlepool

Hartlepool RNLI inshore and all weather lifeboats pictured with the casualty vessels they assisted on Saturday afternoon. Picture: RNLI/Tom Collins

RNLI volunteers were called at 1.55pm on Saturday, July 13, to assist a 28ft boat that had suffered mechanical failure a short distance off-shore.

The vessel was stranded close to the piers near Hartlepool Marina.

The all-weather lifeboat launched at 2.10pm and was able to come alongside the casualty vessel within a few minutes.

The boat, which had three people on board, was safely towed to a pontoon at Hartlepool Marina then the all weather lifeboat returned the Ferry Road lifeboat station and was made ready to return to service.

The second call out of the afternoon came at 4pm and was to take over a tow from Redcar RNLI lifeboat.

The Redcar crew had been called to go to the assistance of a fishing boat with six people on board that had suffered mechanical failure off Redcar.

The Hartlepool inshore lifeboat launched at 4.20pm and met the Redcar lifeboat and casualty vessel approximately three miles off Hartlepool.

At that point, the Hartlepool boat was able to take over towing the broken down boat.

The crew brought it back to Hartlepool Marina where a local Coastguard team was waiting to offer assistance to the people on board.

The inshore lifeboat returned to the Ferry Road lifeboat station at 5.30pm and was refuelled and made ready to be back into service by 6pm.