Redcar and Hartlepool lifeboats launched (From The Northern Echo)

Redcar and Hartlepool lifeboats launched

9:40pm Friday 24th July 2009 in Search By Andrew Douglas , Deputy News Editor

A MAJOR search was launched tonight after a fishing boat came across unmanned kite surfing equipment several miles out to sea.

The fishing boat crew, who made the find about two and a half miles off Redcar, alerted Humber coastguard at 7.30pm who called out two lifeboats from Redcar, and Hartlepool's inshore lifeboat.

After half an hour a coastguard patrol on the shoreline was approached by a member of the public who told them the kite had been lost by two people on the beach at Redcar earlier in the day.

Dave Cocks, of Redcar RNLI said: "This is becoming a fairly regular type of callout for our volunteer crews.

"While the lifeboats are on a wild goose chase there might be another serious incident where lives really are at stake."

Dave Cocks, of Redcar RNLI

"It’s very disappointing that the people involved didn’t think to contact the coastguards about losing their kite."

"We’d happily launch a lifeboat to go and get the kite and prevent a larger-scale callout like the one that resulted this evening.

"While the lifeboats are on a wild goose chase there might be another serious incident where lives really are at stake."

"It would be a tremendous help to the emergency services if people would put their name and contact details on the equipment so we can trace the owner if it’s found out at sea."

"We’ve got the kite stored at the lifeboat station. If the people involved would like to call in to see us, we’d be delighted to take the opportunity of giving them appropriate advice before they take the kite back on to the beach."