Man taken to hospital after River Wear rescue at Wearmouth Bridge

A man is in hospital after being rescued from the River Wear following a fall from Wearmouth Bridge in the early hours of Friday morning.
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Emergency services including the Great North Air Ambulance were called shortly before 4.30am today, Friday, December 18.

A man was treated by paramedics at the scene before being taken to Sunderland Royal.

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A spokesperson for Northumbria Police said: “Shortly before 4.30am today we received a report that a man had fallen from the Wearmouth Bridge, Sunderland.

The man was rescued from the river after falling from Wearmouth BridgeThe man was rescued from the river after falling from Wearmouth Bridge
The man was rescued from the river after falling from Wearmouth Bridge

“Emergency services attended and the man was rescued.

“He was checked over by paramedics before he was taken to hospital by ambulance.”

An RNLI statement said the inshore lifeboat had been called but the person had been pulled from the river before it was in the water.

"At 4.29am volunteers were paged alongside Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust to reports of a person in the River Wear close to Wearmouth Bridge,” it said.

Lifeboat volunteers preparing to launch. Pic: RNLILifeboat volunteers preparing to launch. Pic: RNLI
Lifeboat volunteers preparing to launch. Pic: RNLI
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"Thankfully as our volunteers were in the process of launching it was confirmed that the casualty had been recovered from the water by emergency service teams at the scene.

"Following treatment at the scene by paramedics, the casualty was taken to Sunderland Royal Hospital.”

A Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team statement said: “Coastguard officers were called out in the early hours to the River Wear in the city centre to a multi agency incident with RNLI - Sunderland Lifeboat Station, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, Northumbria Police and the Great North Air Ambulance Service.”

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