Stunning footage captured on Friday (January 13 2017) shows the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) Tynemouth rescue a stranded seafarer off the coast of Sunderland.
At 1pm on Friday, the UK coast guard received a call from the captain of the bulk carrier vessel HC Jette-Marit informing them that his chief engineer was unwell and had possibly suffered a heart attack. The vessel was approximately four miles east of Sunderland where it was due to anchor before entering the port on Saturday.
Issues arose after the chief engineer refused to be evacuated by helicopter. This resulted in the coastguard being unable to offer further assistance. At 2pm, the situation changed when the engineer was convinced that an evacuation by sea was possible. After this, the Tynemouth RNLI was contacted to launch. The six-person crew of volunteers launched the lifeboat in an incredible six minutes after first contact.
Adverse weather conditions caused some difficulties for the RNLI vessel, but they eventually managed to reach the carrier and rescue the engineer.
In an update, the Tynemouth RNLI said that the chief engineer was due out of the hospital and would be heading home sometime this week.
“This was an unusual situation with the casualty initially refusing any help despite suffering what could have been a fatal condition,” said Adrian Don of the Tynemouth RNLI Lifeboat Station. “His arrival at hospital was only made possible by the coordinated rescue response and in particular the skill, determination and bravery of our volunteer lifeboat crew and the helicopter crew, who worked in very challenging sea and weather conditions.”
The RNLI is the largest charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man as well as on some inland waterways. It is a not-for-profit charity and is operated entirely by volunteers.
In related recent news, a Maersk containership was saved after being grounded near Southern Italy.
