Night-time call for Barrow RNLI Lifeboat to assist vessel in Walney Channel

The call for assistance came from HM Coastguard at Holyhead at 1-00am. The information received was that a 31 foot (9.5 metre) motor boat, with one person on board, had lost all power at a position north of Jubilee Bridge in Walney Channel. The crew was paged and the inshore lifeboat, ‘Vision of Tamworth’, was launched at 1-20am with Dave Kell at the helm, assisted by two crew, Paul Wilcock and Richard Rawlinson. A further 10 crew members responded to the call-out. The lifeboat proceeded north along Walney Channel and it was established that the casualty vessel was located just east of Walney Airfield. The lifeboat reached the casualty at 1-40am whereupon it was taken under tow. With the tide on the ebb, it was important for the casualty to be moved quickly whilst there was still sufficient water depth available to do so. The stricken boat was towed back to its mooring close to the Ferry Pitching and the one crew member of the vessel, who was uninjured, was returned safely to the shore.

With the casualty vessel and crew safe, the ‘Vision of Tamworth’ returned to the lifeboat station at 2-42am where it was made ready for the next launch.

The wind at the time of the incident was easterly, Force 1-2, and the high tide had passed at 0-08am with a height of 8.7 metres.

Key facts about the RNLI

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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