Date: 14/10/2009
Author: Paul Nicholson, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer
Volunteers based at Sunderland RNLI Lifeboat Station were amongst the emergency services that were called into action last night to assist a distressed man on Wearmouth Bridge.
Shortly after half past eleven last night, Monday 13 October 2009, Humber Coastguard contacted the Lifeboat Operations Manager of Sunderland RNLI to request the immediate launch of their Sunderland RNLI’s Atlantic 85 Lifeboat Wolseley.
The request came after Northumbria Police received reports of a man climbing over safety railings on Wearmouth Bridge.
The RNLI lifeboat was deployed to the scene along with shore-based teams from Sunderland Coastguard and Northumbria Police.
Shortly after arriving at the scene Police Officers successfully talked the man into climbing back over the railings. Lifeboat and Coastguard volunteers were then informed to stand down from the incident.
Duncan Gomes, Helmsman at Sunderland RNLI said: “As we were preparing to launch the lifeboat, Humber Coastguard informed us that the incident had been successfully resolved, as Police Officers had managed to talk the man into climbing back over the railings to safety.”
As a registered charity the RNLI relies on voluntary donations and legacies from the public for its income.