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RNLI Douglas lifeboat launched to assist yacht with engine failure

Lifeboats News Release

Douglas RNLI lifeboat volunteer crew members were paged at 1:30am today(2 June) when a yacht's engine overheated while on its way to the Island.

The yacht with three people on board had left Widnes in Liverpool for Douglas at 8:30am yesterday. Relying on their engine to make way against the north easterly wind they called for assistance when the yacht's engine overheated and stopped some three miles off Douglas.


The RNLI all-weather lifeboat Sir William Hillary launched under the command of volunteer Coxswain Neal Corran. The yacht was found off Santon Head the volunteer crew of the lifeboat having had to use their VHF radio direction finding equipment to locate the casualty vessel in the dark.


The yacht was taken under tow back to Douglas and berthed at the Kind Edward Pier where the yacht and its crew, tired but none the worse for their ordeal, were given into the care of Douglas Coastguard.
The lifeboat then returned to station where it was re-housed and made ready again for service just before 4:40am.


Notes to editors
Caption for one attached photo: Douglas RNLI lifeboat returning to harbour with casualty vessel.
 
RNLI media contacts
For more information please contact Michael Howland, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07624 496029 or email [email protected] or Danielle Rush, Divisional Media Relations Manager (Wales and West) on 07786 668829 or 01745 585162. Alternatively contact RNLI Public Relations on 01202 336789.

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity 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 146,000 lives.

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