Rescue - Monday 15 May 2017

The Atlantic 85 class lifeboat Malcolm and Mona Bennett-Williams was launched on Monday 15 May 2017 after UK Coastguard received several 999 calls reporting an orange dinghy drifting five miles off Redcar.

The lifeboat launched just after 4.30pm and was initially directed to search approximately one mile offshore near the Stray, Redcar. A coastguard rescue team arrived at the scene and spoke with one of the first informants and directed the lifeboat to a target further offshore.

Those directions led the lifeboat to the Saltscar Buoy, approximately three miles from Redcar. Satisfied that the first informants had seen the buoy and had believed it was a drifting craft, UK Coastguard stood down the lifeboat.

The Saltscar Buoy is a north cardinal buoy, used to navigate ships into safe waters near the rocks at Redcar. Its distinctive shape and colour indicate that the safe waters are to the north of the buoy. For more information on navigation buoys go to the RNLI Coastal Safety website.