Drigg flare rescue call-out ‘likely part of Leonid meteor shower’

An emergency call-out prompted by reports of flares off a coastline was likely to be a meteor shower, the RNLI said.

St Bees RNLI was requested to launch by HM Coastguard Belfast on Wednesday after an angler reported seeing multiple flares off Drigg beach in Cumbria.

The lifeboat reached the area at 20:50 GMT and the crew searched using lights, radar and illumination flares to try to locate the vessel or person in distress.

During the three-hour search, the team spotted several “extremely bright meteors” and said it was most likely in relation to the Leonid meteor shower.