A search of the sea off the coast of Seaburn was launched to locate a missing swimmer- who was actually safe and well at home.
Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team and Sunderland’s RNLI volunteers were alerted at 5am on Sunday, July 12, to reports that a woman had gone missing while in the sea off the beach.
Volunteers scrambled to the scene as a search was launched but a coastguard officer was dispatched to check her home address and she was found safe and well.
A spokesperson for the Coastguard said: "The team had an early start this morning as we were paged to a missing person who was last seen in the water at Seaburn.
"On arrival, we met with the missing person's friends to establish the circumstances and formulate a search plan. Both lifeboats from RNLI - Sunderland Lifeboat Station were also tasked to carry out searches on the water.
"As the female lived close by, a coastguard officer was dispatched to check the home address where he found her in the street safe and well."
A spokesperson for the RNLI volunteers added: "An early morning wake up call for our volunteers when coastguards requested the immediate launch of both inshore lifeboats.
"The tasking came as a result of a 999 call being made to coastguards reporting a female going missing while swimming in the sea off Seaburn beach.
"Both lifeboats were tasked to carry out a search of the area along with coastguards from Sunderland Coastguard Rescue Team.
"Thankfully as lifeboats were arriving on the scene, coastguards found the female safe and well at her home address.
"Both lifeboats were then cleared to return to the station."
