Both boats launch to investigate unmanned, drifting yacht

At the beginning of the new working week the crew of both boats were called upon to launch and check a drifting 30 foot yacht. The vessel had been spotted by a range safety boat from the Lulworth range area. The range boat was unable to raise the yacht's crew either by radio or loud haler, but the yacht's companion way was visibly open.

Swanage all-weather lifeboat (ALB) was quickly on scene. The inshore lifeboat (ILB) stayed close in to the shore around St Albans Head and Chapmans Pool in case the yacht's crew had fallen overboard and had swam to land.

The ALB put a volunteer crew member on the yacht and it was confirmed that there was nobody onboard. There were signs that the vessel had probably not been crewed for some time. The engine compartment was flooded and there was a lot of water in the bilges so another of the RNLI crew was put on the yacht and the salvage pump was transferred to the stricken vessel. Having pumped the water out of the yacht, the lifeboat crew attached a tow line and started pulling the yacht back to Swanage; it would clearly present a danger to shipping if left at sea.

It quickly became apparent that the casualty yacht was suffering a speedy ingress of water below the waterline. The ALB rapidly disconnected the tow line and recovered the two crew members from the now sinking yacht. With the search and rescue element of the tasking complete - both the lifeboat and HM Coastguard were satisfied there were no lives to be saved - the position was reported to HM Coastguard and the yacht was left to sink in deep water. The yacht's owners will be contacted by the police who will inform them of the incident.

Both boats returned to Swanage and were rehoused by 11:50am

RNLI Media Contacts

Becky Mack, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI South East, [email protected]

Stella Sims, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for London and South East England, 07483 316675, [email protected]

Sam Haddad, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for London and South East England, 01202 137713, [email protected]

Julie Rainey, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for London and South East England, 07827 358256, [email protected]

RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [email protected]

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,700 lives.

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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

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