(Image: Tynemouth RNLI lifeboat)
An evening training exercise turned into a real-life rescue when a drifting inflatable boat was spotted off the North East coast yesterday.
Tynemouth RNLI crew were out at sea on Monday evening (August 17), around 8.40pm, training on their new Tamar class lifeboat.
But training was quickly over when they spotted a lone rigid inflatable boat (RIB) just off Tynemouth's South Pier.
The vessel's engine had stopped working and it was drifting out to sea.
The Tynemouth inshore lifeboat (ILB) was launched to assist, while the Tamar lifeboat remained with the RIB until the ILB arrived around 10 minutes later.
Tynemouth RNLI Lifeboat said: "On Monday evening at 20:40, our crew were out training on our new Tamar class lifeboat, when a lone rib was spotted just off the South pier.
"The vessels engine had stopped working and they were drifting out to sea.
"Tynemouth ILB was requested to launch to tow the vessel back into South Shields."
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They added: "The ILB then took the casualty vessel under tow and back to Littlehaven Beach."
The rescue team added that this was technically the first callout their new lifeboat has been "unofficially part of at Tynemouth."
Anyone who requires assistance by the coast is reminded to dial 999 and ask for the coastguard.