Lifeboat volunteers were scrambled to help a fishing boat crew member who was injured eight miles off the County Durham coast today (Friday, March 22).
Hartlepool RNLI volunteers were paged to help the injured man on a fishing boat that had two people aboard, at about 9am.
The all-weather lifeboat Betty Huntbatch was launched at 9.10am and was alongside the casualty vessel at 9.32am.
Two RNLI crewmembers boarded the fishing boat, where the casualty was assessed and casualty care administered.
The Coastguard helicopter was also called out to the incident.
On arrival at the scene a Coastguard helicopter paramedic was winched down to the all-weather lifeboat and then transferred to the fishing boat to also assess the casualty.
The helicopter then landed on the Town Moor at the Headland Hartlepool, while the Coastguard paramedic attended to the casualty on the fishing boat.
The injured fisherman was transferred on a stretcher from the fishing boat to the all-weather lifeboat and brought back to the Ferry Road lifeboat station where the casualty was transferred to an ambulance and taken to hospital.
Sea conditions were described as moderate to rough with a force 5-6 wind.
Hartlepool RNLI Coxswain, Robbie Maiden said: "Once again all the training we do as volunteers paid off with a very quick response to the pagers going off, getting to sea quickly and casualty care administered to the injured fisherman.
"It was also good to work with the Coastguard helicopter crew.
"On behalf of everyone at Hartlepool RNLI we hope the injured fisherman makes a successful recovery from his injuries."
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