Emergency services called to River Wear after plunge

Sunderland’s RNLI lifeboat was among a host of emergency services called in to action after the man plunged into the River Wear in the early hours of this morning.

The RNLI lifeboat was deployed to the scene around 12.15am, along with shore-based personnel from Northumbria Police, Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team, North East Ambulance Service and Tyne and Wear Fire Brigade.

An officer from Sunderland Coastguard quickly located the man floating face down in the middle of the river opposite Panns Bank and directed the RNLI lifeboat to his position.

"The unconscious male was quickly recovered from the water and onto the lifeboat where he was given CPR by two RNLI volunteers while he was transferred to a waiting ambulance at North Dock Marina," a RNLI spokesman said. "After being treated at the marina he was then taken to Sunderland Royal Hospital in a critical condition."

Paul Nicholson, Senior Helmsman at Sunderland RNLI said: “When we came alongside the man he was floating face down with no sign of life, so we quickly recovered him from the water onto the lifeboat. He was then given CPR by our volunteer crew until we handed over his treatment to Coastguard Officers and Paramedics at the marina.”