A SUSPECTED person in the water in the river Tyne near the Millennium Bridge prompted the launch of Tynemouth RNLI inshore lifeboat on Sunday night (March 1st 2020).
A member of the public on the bridge had contacted the emergency services after they saw an object float under the bridge – but they were unclear whether it was a person or a piece of driftwood.
A search of the river and banks around the Newcastle and Gateshead Quays was initiated and UK Coastguard’s Humber Operations Centre requested the launch of the inshore lifeboat to go upriver and join it, along with a team from Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade to assist on shore.
After an exhaustive search of the river was completed by all the emergency services including the three crew on board the inshore lifeboat, the search was called off shortly after 9pm with the call recorded as a false alarm with good intent. The lifeboat then returned the 8 miles back to station.
Lifeboat: D-829 Little Susie
