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Humber Coastguard sent lifeboats and a helicopter to the rescue of a man who phoned his wife to say he had fallen in the water at Steetley Pier this afternoon after the concerned woman subsequently phoned the Coastguard.
At 13.36 this afternoon Humber Coastguard received the call from the mans wife to report that her husband had fallen from his canoe when fishing at Steetley Pier near Hartlepool. Realising that the man was in need of immediate rescue, Humber Coastguard asked the woman (who could not remember her husbands mobile number) to call her husband back and tell him to ring 999, which she did. When in contact with the man, Humber Coastguard discovered that, although the man was wearing a lifejacket, he was also wearing waders, meaning that he was having difficulty staying afloat and was ingesting mouthfuls of water.
Humber Coastguard sent the Hartlepool All Weather and Inshore lifeboats to the scene, as well as tasking the Rescue Helicopter from RAF Boulmer. Within minutes, the inshore lifeboat located the man, and brought him ashore where he was met by paramedics but deemed to not require medical attention. Hartlepool Coastguard Rescue Team also met the man to pass on some safety advice.
Humber Coastguard Watch Manager Drew Mahood said:
As we were talking to the man he was swallowing mouthfuls of water and was finding it difficult to keep afloat and so it was absolutely imperative he was found immediately. If he had not been wearing a lifejacket, or his mobile phone had sustained water damage this incident could have gone very differently, and reminds us all of the dangerous effect waders can have if you end up in the water. We would also like to remind members of the public that, although it may be comforting to speak to a friend or family member if you find yourself in difficulty, dialing 999 will mean we can immediately send resources to your rescue.
Furthermore, although the mobile phone worked in this case, people would be better advised to carry with them and use a radio on the marine bands, as, if he had called Mayday other vessels in the area could have responded to his emergency broadcast.
Source - MCA Press Release
At 13.36 this afternoon Humber Coastguard received the call from the mans wife to report that her husband had fallen from his canoe when fishing at Steetley Pier near Hartlepool. Realising that the man was in need of immediate rescue, Humber Coastguard asked the woman (who could not remember her husbands mobile number) to call her husband back and tell him to ring 999, which she did. When in contact with the man, Humber Coastguard discovered that, although the man was wearing a lifejacket, he was also wearing waders, meaning that he was having difficulty staying afloat and was ingesting mouthfuls of water.
Humber Coastguard sent the Hartlepool All Weather and Inshore lifeboats to the scene, as well as tasking the Rescue Helicopter from RAF Boulmer. Within minutes, the inshore lifeboat located the man, and brought him ashore where he was met by paramedics but deemed to not require medical attention. Hartlepool Coastguard Rescue Team also met the man to pass on some safety advice.
Humber Coastguard Watch Manager Drew Mahood said:
As we were talking to the man he was swallowing mouthfuls of water and was finding it difficult to keep afloat and so it was absolutely imperative he was found immediately. If he had not been wearing a lifejacket, or his mobile phone had sustained water damage this incident could have gone very differently, and reminds us all of the dangerous effect waders can have if you end up in the water. We would also like to remind members of the public that, although it may be comforting to speak to a friend or family member if you find yourself in difficulty, dialing 999 will mean we can immediately send resources to your rescue.
Furthermore, although the mobile phone worked in this case, people would be better advised to carry with them and use a radio on the marine bands, as, if he had called Mayday other vessels in the area could have responded to his emergency broadcast.
Source - MCA Press Release
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