Barrow RNLI Lifeboat called to assist yacht in Walney Channel

The call for assistance came from HM Coastguard at Holyhead at 11-26am. The information received was that a 25 foot (7.6 metres) Westerly yacht, “Thunderball”, had suffered an engine problem at its mooring off Piel Island. The crew was paged and the inshore lifeboat, ‘Vision of Tamworth’, was launched at 11-42am with Ben Jackson at the helm assisted by two crew, Phil Taylor and Paul Wilcock. The lifeboat made the short passage across Walney Channel to reach the stricken vessel. It then became apparent that the yacht’s propeller had become fouled by a mooring rope. The rope was cut and the yacht was then placed on a safe drying out mooring in Piel Bight. The crew on board the yacht, a male and a female, were returned safely to the shore in the lifeboat.

The ‘Vision of Tamworth’ then returned to the lifeboat station where it was made ready for the next launch.

The wind at the time of the incident was westerly, Force 4, and the high tide had passed at 10-05am with a height of 8.5 metres.

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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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