Three anglers were about a mile out to sea in a 5m pleasureboat in Hartlepool Bay on Sunday 21 September. With their fishing rods poised for a bite, they were hoping for a good catch.

But their mood changed when the wind and weather worsened, whipping up the waves and making the boat unsteady. It started taking on water. Despite activating the boat’s pump, it was no match for the invading sea and they frantically put out a mayday call. The boat was sinking. When a hefty wave hit and swamped them, the anglers suddenly found themselves floundering in the water.

On receiving the mayday, Humber Coastguard asked both Hartlepool lifeboats to launch immediately. The pagers were activated at 1.06pm interrupting a few Sunday lunches. By 1.18pm both lifeboats – the all-weather Trent and the inshore B class – were on their way.

Helmsman Mark Barker, and Crew Members Andrew Johnson and Liam Dunnett were the inshore lifeboat volunteers that day. They sped out to the anglers. As the inshore lifeboat got close, the crew saw one man clinging to the upturned bow of the boat and the other two in the water. Each had a lifejacket, making them easier to spot. The boat itself was disappearing under the waves.

Mark Barker, volunteer Helm for the inshore lifeboat explains what happened next: ‘We first managed to get two of the fishermen onboard and then rescued the third.’

‘They were all very cold so we wrapped them in blankets and gave them oxygen and first aid as we headed back to the lifeboat station. We had initially thought of transferring them to the bigger all-weather lifeboat that had accompanied us, but the sea was just too rough and one man had taken a turn for the worse.’

The angler collapsed soon after being hauled onboard, so they needed to get to shore rapidly. After taking gulps of oxygen the angler rallied. And, as the lifeboat reached the shore by the lifeboat station, two ambulances, also requested by the Coastguard, were waiting. The ambulance personnel checked the fishermen over and one particularly shivery man warmed up in the boathouse shower before they all went on to hospital.

These three anglers were lucky to be alive, thanks in no small part to the Hartlepool crew.

The inshore lifeboat returned to the scene to recover debris and some equipment. The rest of the pleasureboat was found a week later near Whitby.

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Mike Craddy, Volunteer Lifeboat Operations Manager

Lifejackets are lifesavers too

‘The life-threatening situation the men faced was handled quickly and ended without fatality due to the quick actions by the casualties in calling for assistance and our quick response. Happily the three men had the good sense to be wearing lifejackets.

‘Whether they’re training or out on a shout, our RNLI crew members always wear lifejackets. They know that, whatever the weather, the sea is unpredictable. They see people caught out all the time, people who’ve risked or even lost their lives. A lifejacket buys vital time in the water and could save your life, but only if you’re wearing it.

‘I was pleased to learn later that the anglers made a full recovery after hospital treatment.’

If you would like to arrange a lifejacket demonstration for a boating or fishing club, visit: RNLI.org/ThereToWear.