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Pair saved from river death
A brother and sister who almost drowned in the Wear have thanked the men who saved their lives.
Carly and Ryan Douglas would not be here without the bravery of Sunderland lifeboat volunteers.
The pair got into difficulty after Carly, 19, fell into the river, close to the Ropery pub, in Deptford.
Ryan, just 15, then jumped in to help his sister, but also got caught out by the tide.
Carly swam to a nearby buoy, clinging to it in a desperate bid to keep
her head above water.
Ryan managed to drag himself from the river into a boat moored nearby while their friend, Jonathon Winter, 22, made a 999 call.
A major rescue mission, involving Sunderland's lifeboat with the assistance of Northumbria Police's helicopter, was launched.
Paramedics from the North East Ambulance Service were also asked to attend.
Today, Carly, from Sunderland, described her relief when she knew her life was about to be saved.
She said: "I will be forever grateful to the RNLI and Coastguard volunteers who left their beds to come and save me and my little brother from drowning.
"After being in the water for almost an hour, I was so pleased to see the bright orange lifeboat coming towards me."
Anthony Jobling, Helmsman at Sunderland RNLI, said: "As we approached the scene a Coastguard Rescue Officer advised us that he could see the two casualties, one in a boat and the other in the water hanging onto the boat's mooring buoy.
"We decided to prioritise the rescue of the girl from the water before assisting the boy who managed to climb into one of the boats."
Once in the lifeboat, Carly was quickly taken to waiting paramedics while the lifeboat returned to assist her brother who was now stranded on one of the fishing boats.
After being wrapped in a warm blanket, Ryan was transferred to the quayside onboard the RNLI lifeboat, where he was also handed over to the ambulance service medics.
The pair were taken to Sunderland Royal Hospital in the early hours of Monday, June 28, but released early the next morning after treatment for hypothermia.
Anthony added "We are all extremely to Carly, Ryan, and Jonathon for coming back to the lifeboat station to say thank you to the RNLI and Coastguard volunteers who were involved in this rescue mission. It is always gives the volunteers a great boost when people we have assisted come back down the lifeboat station to say thank you."
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Weather for Sunderland
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: -3 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Heavy sleet
Temperature: 1 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South west
