Amble Lifeboat Shouts

Date: Thursday 11th February 2010

Wind: NE 3-4
Visibility: Good
Sea state: 1-2m swell
Time of launch: 1530hrs
Time of return: 1830hrs

Boats launched: ALB

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Reason: Humber Coastguard requested the launch of Amble Lifeboat after the fishing vessel “STAR DIVINE” reported an overheating engine due to water pump failure, some 20 miles East South East of Amble. About 6 miles from the casualty vessel, Amble Lifeboat were informed the fishermen had managed to temporarily rig the water pump to allow them to return to the nearest port which was Blyth. Amble Lifeboat escorted the vessel towards Blyth, where upon another fishing vessel heading to Blyth took over the escort duties, allowing the Lifeboat to return to station.

Date: Sunday 31st January 2010

Wind: NW 6
Visibility: Good
Sea state: Rough
Time of launch: (re-tasked) 1327hrs
Time of return: 1530hrs

Boats launched: ALB

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Reason: Whilst returning from previous shout, Amble Lifeboat was requested to proceed the Druridge Bay area, approximately 6 miles South of Amble, where a member of the public reported seeing a dis-masted yacht. On reaching the scene, the yacht was found to the 72ft yacht “Polar Bear” with 5 P.O.B, that indeed did not have a mast as it had been taken off at the previous port, as the yacht was heading to Amble Boat Company to be lifted out for repairs. With the sea state at the harbour entrance, it was decided the Lifeboat would escort the yacht into Amble to ensure it arrived safely. Shortly after ensuring the yacht made it into the harbour, the Lifeboat also escorted a local fishing vessel into Amble follwed by a pleasure crusier… before finally returning to station, re-fuelled and made ready for service once again.

Date: Sunday 31st January 2010

Wind: NW 6
Visibility: Good
Sea state: Rough
Time of launch: 1300hrs
Time of return: Amble ILB 1327hrs (Amble ALB re-tasked)

Boats launched: ALB + ILB

Reason: Humber Coastguard requested the immediate launch of Amble Lifeboat and Amble ILB, after initial information was received from a member of the public stating there were 6 persons in the water in the Alnmouth area. Also tasked were local Coastguard units, Police Helicopter India 99 and with no RAF Helicopter available, a Royal Navy Seaking from RNAS Gannet at Prestwick was requested. As units were proceeding further information came in that the casualties were not in the water but appeared to have been cut off by the tide and eventually had managed to get themselves to safety. With this confirmed, all units were stood down at 1327hrs to return to station, which Amble ILB did, but Amble Lifeboat was re-tasked to an incident to the South of Amble.

Date: Wednesday 6th January 2010

Wind: NE 5-6
Visibility: Poor (Blizzards)
Sea state: 3-4m swell
Time of launch: 1755hrs
Time of return: 2030hrs

Boats launched: ALB

Reason: The Lifeboat crew members were paged at 17.55hrs after receiving reports that Newbiggin Inshore Lifeboat requested assistance at an incident near the Sandy Bay caravan site
2 anglers had been fishing on the cliff top when a section one of the men was standing on, gave way. Unable to see if his friend had fallen in to the sea or had been covered by the landside, the angler left on the cliff immediately called the emergency services.
Newbiggin Lifeboat was launched to commence a search of the sea in the area of the landslide, but shortly after arriving on scene, they requested back up from the All Weather Lifeboat from Amble. Other units also sent to the scene included three Coastguard teams including a cliff rescue team, the local Fire Brigade and an Ambulance. There was no RAF, Air Ambulance, or Police helicopter available.
Making good speed despite the rough seas and poor visibilty due to blizzards, Amble Lifeboat was on scene, at the very limit of Amble’s area within 30 minutes. With searchlights rigged and a search plan being formulated with Newbiggin Lifeboat, word came through from the Coastguard cliff teams that the casualty had been located on the shore amongst the debris from the landslide and they were working with the fire brigade to extracate him.
With no persons in danger in the sea, both Amble and Newbiggin Lifeboats were then released to return to station. Heading diretcly into the weather, Amble Lifeboat returned to Amble some 55 mins later where she was refuelled and made ready for service.
(No details are known at present on the casualtys condition)

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Date: Thursday 5th November 2009

Wind: WNW 2-3
Visibility: Good
Sea state: 1-2m
Time of launch: 0510hrs
Time of return: 0610rs

Boats launched: ALB

Reason: Humber C/G requested the launch of Amble ALB to assist the fishing vessel Aquarius who had fouled his prop on lobster pots at the South end of Coquet Island. The fishing vessel Rejoice had managed to get a tow rope to him and started to tow him back to Amble, on reaching the harbour it was decided to alert the Lifeboat to assist them coming into the harbour due to the large swell at the harbour mouth, the Lifeboat was asked to secure a tow rope to the fishing vessel to slow him down and keep him on a straight course into the harbour, once inside of the harbour the casualty was escorted to his moorings and with everything made safe the Lifeboat returned back to station.

Date: Tuesday 20th October 2009

Wind: SE 6-7
Visibility: Good
Sea state: Rough
Time of launch: 0555hrs
Time of return: 0710hrs

Boats launched: ALB

Reason: Amble RNLI All-weather Lifeboat The Four Boys was launched in the early hours of this morning to perform a medical evacuation (medivac) for a crewman that had become injured aboard the survey vessel Fleur de Lys which was working nine and a half miles east of Amble Harbour.

The volunteer crew members were paged at 5.45am this morning at the request of HM Coastguard after receiving reports that a crewman onboard had sustained severe head wounds after being thrown out of a bunk when a large wave hit the survey vessel unexpectedly.

The lifeboat made best possible speed to the vessel given the sea conditions for the nine mile journey and once on scene it became obvious that it was too rough to transfer between the boats as it posed an unnecessary risk to the casualty, boats and crews due to the heavy three metre swell.

Once the condition of the casualty was established as stable, it was then decided that the best course of action was for the lifeboat to escort Fleur de Lys back to safer waters for the transfer to take place in a better environment. The transfer then took place once the vessels were back within the safety of Amble Harbour and the crewman was passed to a waiting ambulance for onward transfer to hospital.

Date: Monday 28th September 2009

Wind: W 5-6
Visibility: Good
Sea state: Moderate
Time of launch: 1415hrs
Time of return: 1615hrs

Boats launched: ALB

Reason: Amble RNLI All-weather Lifeboat ‘The Four Boys’ was launched at the request of HM Coastguard to conduct a search following an emergency beacon activation.
The crew were paged at 2.15pm following reports received by HM Coastguard that an EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) had begun transmitting a distress signal.
The EPIRB signal was apparently coming from just outside Amble harbour and once on scene, the Lifeboat conducted a sector search. The search was conducted over a 3 mile radius from the originating point of the beacon. In these situations, the Lifeboat uses the latest technology ‘DF’ (direction finding) equipment to home in on the distress signal. In addition to this, a full radar search is also conducted. Neither of these electronic searches revealed anything untoward. A constant visual sweep of the area by the crew confirmed this to be the case also, As a result, when the Coastguard was satisfied that there appeared to be no-one in danger, the Lifeboat was eventually stood down and returned to Amble where she was refuelled and made ready for service again.
The call has been recorded as a false alarm with good intent.

Date: Saturday 12th September 2009

Wind: W 1-2
Visibility: Good
Sea state: Slight
Time of launch: 12358hrs
Time of return: 1358hrs

Boats launched: ALB

Reason: Humber Coastguard requested the launch of Amble Lifeboat after a yacht reported machinery failure 2 miles South of Coquet Island. Once on scene, it was apparent the yacht’s engine had broken down and with very little wind to sail, they would need a tow back to Amble. A tow was established and the yacht towed to Amble Marina, with the yacht safely alongside in Amble Marina, Amble Lifeboat returned to station where she was re-fuelled and made ready for service

Date: Thursday 3rd September 2009

Wind: W 5
Visibility: Good
Sea state: Mod
Time of launch: 1233hrs
Time of return: 1330hrs

Boats launched: ALB + ILB

Reason: Humber Coastguard requested the immediate launch of both Amble Lifeboat and Amble ILB after reports were recieved of red flares sighted South of Amble. With both boats launching quickly, a search was carried out from the harbour, South, and they located a cabin cruiser south of Coquet Island that had suffered machinery failure and was drifting quickly with the offshore winds. A crewman from the ILB was put onto the casualty vessel and a tow was established with the ALB. Amble Lifeboat then towed the vessel back to Amble Marina where it was secured alongside a pontoon, before the Lifeboat and ILB returned to station where they were re-fuelled and made ready for service.

Date: Monday 31st August 2009

Wind: WSW 3
Visibility: Good
Sea state: Slight
Time of launch: 0104hrs
Time of return: 0125hrs

Boats launched: ALB + ILB

Reason: Humber Coastguard requested the immediate launch of both Amble Lifeboat and Amble ILB after reports were recieved of a young man, who had threatened to harm himself , entering the water in the harbour. Launching in 3 minutes!!! after the initial request, both boats were quickly on scene being guided in to the casualty by local police and members of the public on the quayside. The ILB managed to squeeze in between two fishing boats to find a police officer, waist deep in water hanging onto some ladders whilst trying to keep the casualty afloat. A crewman from the ILB entered the water and was able to swim, supporting the casualty, back to the ILB where he was recovered and the transferred straight to the Lifeboat. First Aid and Oxygen was administered by the crew, to the casualty who was unconscious. The Lifeboat returned to station where the casualty was taken on the stretcher into the boathouse to be cared for before being handed over to ambulance paramedics.