Lost fishing boat rescued

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), May 13, 2008

LIFEBOATS were scrambled when a family fishing boat got lost in fog.

RNLI lifeboats from Tynemouth and Cullercoats were launched on Sunday afternoon when the skipper of a pleasure boat called for help.

Blyth Harbour Operations received a mobile phone call for help at 3.45pm from the skipper of the cabin cruiser Helen Ann.

The caller reported there were seven people on board the boat, including young children.

The harbour radio operator called Humber Coastguard to report that the vessel was in trouble and required assistance.

The lifeboats and 12 volunteer crew members raced to the area where the Helen Anne was thought to be.

The skipper of the stricken boat eventually contacted Humber Coastguard by dialling 999 on a mobile phone, and said he was somewhere near to St Mary's Island in Whitley Bay.

Cullercoats RNLI lifeboat quickly located the Helen Ann and escorted her to safety at Blyth harbour.

The Helen Ann had earlier sailed from Blyth for a fishing trip but on attempting to return home, her skipper had become disoriented due to the fog that had affected the coastal area all day.

And there was no compass on the boat.

An RNLI spokesman said: "Anyone going to sea should have a working marine VHF radio. They should also have plenty of flares and life jackets."