Cleethorpes and Humber RNLI respond in fog to sinking motor vessel
Both Cleethorpes and Humber lifeboats launched at 5 am this morning in thick fog, following reports of a mayday call from a motor vessel just north of Grimsby Docks.
Following what is thought to have been a collision with a larger vessel in very poor visibility the motor cruiser began taking on water, and the two people on board prepared to abandon to their liferaft.
With both lifeboats underway, the Pilot Boarding Vessel Venus arrived first on scene and took the two sailors on board to safety. The volunteer crew of Cleethorpes RNLI arrived very shortly after, and witnessed the vessel sinking completely just 25 minutes after the mayday call.
Following retrieval of the liferaft, both the charity’s lifeboats and the pilot vessel made their way into Grimsby Docks where the casualties were checked over and found to require no medical attention.
Daniel Cooper, Cleethorpes RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, says: 'This was an early wake-up call for our volunteer crew who managed to respond very quickly and launched the lifeboat within six minutes of the request for their assistance.
'Although the incident resulted in the complete loss of the motor vessel, we at the lifeboat station are relieved that the people on board were so swiftly brought to safety, and thank the master and crew of the Venus for their prompt and professional response.'
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch have been informed of the incident.
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Attached picture of PV Venus alongside the sinking motor vessel, and Cleethorpes RNLI recovering the liferaft. Credit RNLI Cleethorpes.
For more information, contact Cleethorpes RNLI Press Officer Kelly Blackburn on 07850-448699.
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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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