Girvan Lifeboat Launched to powerless drifting vessel
At 11:26 Saturday 15th October, Girvan’s volunteer crew’s pagers were activated by Belfast Coastguard to reports of a boat that had lost engine power.
Our relief Mersey class all-weather lifeboat 12-27 ‘Pride and Spirit was quickly launched and making best speed to the last reported position.
Further information was coming in about the casualty vessel from Ballantrae coastguard who were relaying communications from the casualty to ourselves due to reduced radio signal from loss of power on the casualty vessel, a 30ft motor cruiser ‘Sea Zest’ with 2 persons on board, which had suffered mechanical issues, resulting in loss of engine and power, with a reported position approx. 1 mile off the shoreline of Ballantrae and drifting.
Once on scene a lifeboat crewmember was placed aboard the ‘Sea Zest’ to ensure everyone was safe and well and a tow line was then established from the lifeboat to the casualty where we proceeded to make for Girvan Harbour with the casualty under tow.
Outside Girvan harbour the tow was then dropped, to allow the lifeboat to tie alongside the ‘Sea Zest’ this gives the lifeboat full control of the casualty vessel and allows us to place it with precision exactly where we want it to be, both boats made their way into the Harbour where the Motor Cruiser was safely moored to the pontoons at approx.13:55
Girvan lifeboat was then washed, refuelled and once again made ready for the next service call.
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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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