Two people were rescued on Sunday after their vehicle became stranded on the Holy Island causeway. The pair were brought to safety by Seahouses RNLI and HM Coastguard teams, with no injuries reported.
Seahouses RNLI were paged to the incident at 2.58pm, shortly after completing an earlier rescue of a father and son stranded at Budle Bay when the tide came in. The crew had just finished de-kitting and cleaning the boat when the pagers sounded again.
Second call-out of the day
Writing online, figures from Seahouses RNLI said: "At 2.58pm just as the crew were finished de-kitting and cleaning the boat making it ready for service. The pagers sounded again!"
They added: "Holy Island Causeway, vehicle stranded with two persons on board near to the refuge hut. Our crew and other assets attended from Berwick Coastguard rescue team. Both persons safely taken ashore with no injuries reported."
The earlier rescue had followed a training exercise for the all-weather lifeboat that morning. One crew member, Anna, experienced her first and second call-outs during the day.
First rescue at Budle Bay
She was quoted as saying: "It was fantastic to put into practice all the skills I've learnt and be on service alongside my crew mates. The first rescue was a real race against the tide to save the father and son. The second being a Causeway shout, a regular operation for our station and great to be part of it."
The first rescue saw a parent and child stuck on a sand bank at Budle Bay. The RNLI said: "The father and son had become cut off and had tried to make it back ashore before realising they were unable to do so and returning to the disappearing sand island to await rescue."
Fortunately there were no reported injuries other than being cold and wet, and they were handed into the care of colleagues from the Coastguard Rescue Team for further medical assessment and care.
Safety advice issued
Causeway rescues are a common occurrence. After an earlier rescue in late September, the RNLI issued an oft-repeated warning. That occasion saw a major emergency response launched after five people, including three children, were rescued by RNLI crews.
At that time, RNLI Seahouses issued the following advice to those who may find themselves in difficulty: call 999 and ask for the coastguard, giving your location with as much detail as possible and include a landmark where available; if safe to do so, make your way to the refuge hut on the land side of the causeway; if not safe, stay with your vehicle and await rescue; and if you have to enter the water, remember float to live.
The RNLI Seahouses team added: "We will never judge anyone that requires rescuing and are committed to our mission of Saving Lives at Sea without fear or favour."
