VOLUNTEERS from a North-East lifeboat station were scrambled into action to hep a fishing vessel in trouble.
The Sunderland RNLI Lifeboat Station crew were called out just before 8.30pm last night to assist the crew of the seven metre fishing boat which suffered mechanical failure during a fishing trip from Seaham Harbour.
After receiving a 999 telephone call from the skipper of the vessel, Coastguard officers based at Humber Coastguard Marine Rescue Coordination Centre immediately contacted the operations manager at Sunderland RNLI to request the launch of their Atlantic 85 Inshore lifeboat Wolseley.
The lifeboat launched ten minutes later and quickly located the stricken vessel three miles east of Seaham Harbour.
Paul Nicholson, Senior Helmsman at Sunderland RNLI said “Once alongside the fishing vessel we transferred a lifeboat volunteer across onto the vessel to allow us to secure a line to tow the boat and crew to safety.”
The vessel and its unharmed crew - consisting seven men from Seaham - were taken in tow and returned to moorings.
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