Legendary yacht recovered by Yarmouth RNLI lifeboat
At 3.37pm this afternoon (Friday) the volunteer crew of the Yarmouth lifeboat station was called out to the renowned sailing vessel, Great Britain II, which requested assistance after suffering engine failure.
The 77 foot yacht, with a crew of 10 on board, was quickly located off Newtown by the RNLI’s Yarmouth lifeboat and towed to the safety of an outer mooring off Yarmouth Harbour.
Great Britain II was the first boat to finish in the first Whitbread Round the World Race in 1973 and is the only yacht to have ever competed in five consecutive Whitbread Round the World Races.
RNLI media contacts
-
Claire Hallett, Yarmouth RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer 07814 900398
-
Richard Heming, Yarmouth RNLI Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer 07810 371233
-
Tim Ash, RNLI Public Relations Manager (London/East/South East) 0207 6207426 / 07785 296252 or Paul Dunt, RNLI Press Officer (London/East/South East) 0207 6207416 / 07866 668825 /
-
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, Carrybridge 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