Wells RNLI lifeboat tows in yacht with engine failure
Wells lifeboat was in action late last night (19 June) and in the early hours of today, Monday 20 June, when a 27ft yacht suffered engine failure and needed assistance.
The yacht, Corumba, with two people onboard, experienced engine failure whilst on passage off Blakeney Overfalls and contacted Humber Coastguard requesting a tow into Wells harbour.
The lifeboat station was subsequently contacted at 10.24pm on Sunday 19 June and asked to render assistance. As it was approaching low water, there was no prospect of bringing the yacht into Wells at that time.
The yacht was in no immediate danger, so it was decided to launch on the first of the flood tide in the early hours of this morning.
The crew were paged at 4.22am and the all-weather lifeboat, Doris M Mann of Ampthill, launched twelve minutes later and proceeded towards the yacht which continued to sail towards Wells during the night but had not made much headway.
The volunteer lifeboat crew arrived on scene at 5.32am and placed a crew member onboard, who then attached the lifeboat’s towline. The tow commenced at 5.45am and the yacht was safely secured on the Wells Harbour town pontoons at 7.25am. The lifeboat returned to station and was recovered at 7.40am.
No one was hurt in the incident.
RNLI media contacts
Peter Rainsford, Acting Lifeboat Press Officer, 01328 711463, 07789 967255, chairman@wellslifeboat.org
John Mitchell, Wells-Next-the-Sea Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer
01328 710882 / 07831103166 / lpo@wellslifeboat.org
Tim Ash, RNLI Public Relations Manager (London/East/South East) 0207 6207426 / 07785 296252 tim_ash@rnli.org.uk
James Oxley, RNLI Press Officer (London/East/South East)
0207 6207425 / 07786 668825 / james_oxley@rnli.org.uk
For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789
Key facts about the RNLI
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is the charity that saves lives at sea. Our volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service in the United Kingdom and Ireland from 238 lifeboat stations, including four along the River Thames and inland lifeboat stations at Loch Ness, Lough Derg, Enniskillen and Lough Ree. Additionally the RNLI has more than 1,000 lifeguards on over 240 beaches around the UK and operates a specialist flood rescue team, which can respond anywhere across the UK and Ireland when inland flooding puts lives at risk.
The RNLI relies on public donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. As a charity it is separate from, but works alongside, government-controlled and funded coastguard services. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824 our lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved at least 140,000 lives. Volunteers make up 95% of the charity, including 4,600 volunteer lifeboat crew members and 3,000 volunteer shore crew. Additionally, tens of thousands of other dedicated volunteers raise funds and awareness, give safety advice, and help in our museums, shops and offices.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 or by email.
The RNLI is a charity registered in England and Wales (209603) and Scotland (SC037736). Charity number 20003326 in the Republic of Ireland