REPORTS of a distressed person led to Tynemouth RNLI all weather lifeboat being launched on service for the first time in 2018 on Tuesday night.
UK Coastguard’s Humber Operation Centre requested the lifeboat launch at 19:55 after receiving a request from Northumbria Police for assistance in locating a distressed person who may have been at the coast in the area of Frenchman’s Bay and Marsden Bay.
Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team and South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade were also tasked to conduct a search on shore.
The lifeboat arrived on scene and the crew commenced a shoreline search from Frenchman’s Bay to Marsden Grotto, using a number of parachute flares to illuminate the search area.
The search lasted around an hour before UK Coastguard received information from Northumbria Police that the casualty was no longer believed to be in the area or in danger. All search teams were stood down and the lifeboat returned to station.
Lifeboat: 17-20 Spirit of Northumberland