At 5.39pm on Saturday 14 July, Humber Coastguard requested the launch of Seahouses all-weather lifeboat, to go to the assistance of an 11m French yacht Carabistouille with five people on board.
The yacht had engine failure and was partly becalmed due to a very light wind, approximately seven and a half miles south east of Seahouses.
The Lifeboat launched and located the yacht. With the consent of the skipper, the yacht was taken in tow, but the only suitable location that it could be taken for repair was the deep water dock at Berwick.
The situation was made more difficult due to communication difficulties, as the French crew spoke very little English and only one of the crew from Seahouses could speak some limited French.
Berwick Lifeboat was requested to launch to take over the tow, and after a 15 mile tow, the Seahouses Lifeboat handed over the tow to Berwick Lifeboat north east of Holy Island.
One of the Berwick Crew was more fluent in French, which made communication easier.
The Seahouses Lifeboat returned to station at 9.45pm that day, while the Berwick crew towed the yacht to Berwick piers, where they had to stand off till after midnight until there was sufficient depth of water to enter the river.
Picture captions
1. The yacht under tow by RNLI Lifeboat.
2. The hand over to Berwick Lifeboat
3. Berwick with the yacht under tow.
RNLI media contacts
For further information, please contact Ian Clayton, RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, Seahouses Lifeboat Station on 01665 720370 or mobile 07981 069 177 or email rnliseahouses@aol.com or Alison Levett, RNLI Media Relations Manager North on 01642 750585 or 07786668912 or by email at alevett@rnli.org.uk. Alternatively, contact RNLI Public Relations on 01202 336789.