One call out becomes two for Douglas RNLI lifeboat

While Douglas Coastguards searched along the shore, the Douglas all weather lifeboat, Sir William Hillary, under the command of volunteer coxswain Neal Corran, conducted an offshore search from the Palace Hotel to Derby Castle, releasing parachute flares to illuminate the area. They then searched back along the Promenade as far as the Tower of Refuge before returning to the Palace Hotel area.

After just under an hour searching without any one being found the Douglas lifeboat was stood down at 11.48pm to be immediately tasked to go to the aid of a lone yachtsman in difficulty approximately 10 miles east of Douglas.

The lone yachtsman had been making his way Douglas when he slipped and fell injuring his shoulder. Unable to work the yacht's sails and with the yacht's engine refusing to start he radioed the Coastguard for assistance.

The Coastguard were able to give the lifeboat crew the last known position of the yacht and with this and using the lifeboat's direction finding equipment on a signal from the yacht's VHF radio the lifeboat reached the casualty vessel at 0.39am.

Lifeboat volunteer crewmen Peter Cowin and Andy Morris were put aboard the yacht to assist its sole occupant secure a tow from the lifeboat. The yacht was towed back to Douglas and berthed alongside the Visitors' Pontoon on the Battery Pier at 2.37am where the Coastguards were waiting to assist the injured yachtsman.

Notes to editors
Caption for attached photo #1: Douglas lifeboat Sir William Hillary searching the Douglas shoreline. Credit: RNLI/Michael Howland

Caption for attached photo #2: Douglas lifeboat Sir William Hillary with casualty vessel in Douglas harbour. Credit: RNLI/Michael Howland

RNLI media contacts
For more information please contact Michael Howland, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 07624 496029 or email [email protected] or Eleri Roberts, Divisional Media Relations Manager (Wales and West) on 07771 941390 or 01745 585162. Alternatively contact RNLI Public Relations on 01202 336789.

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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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