Lowestoft RNLI Lifeboat called to a yacht with engine failure close to sandbank
A trip to sea to test the engine on a yacht ended in a call for help to the UK Coastguard when the vessel lost power as the craft sailed near to a sandbank.
The 30-foot yacht with a crew of two had left Lowestoft a short while earlier and was two miles south east of the port when their engine failed.
Lowestoft RNLI coxswain John Fox said “ we were paged just before 5pm on 29th October and launched relief lifeboat ‘Reg’ to respond to the distress call. The sea conditions were choppy and when we arrived at the casualty vessel we found one of sailors was unwell and that as well as having engine failure they were unable to lower their sail. The yacht was in danger of drifting close to the Newcome Sands so I quickly put deputy second coxswain Nigel Lyman on to the yacht and he was able to take the sail down and steer the yacht into deeper water.
We connected a tow-line and brought the yacht safely back into harbour - much to the relief of the yacht’s crew.”
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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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