Holyhead Volunteers Called To Broken Down Yacht
Holyhead RNLI volunteers were called out yesterday (Tuesday 27 August) to a vessel in distress eight miles out to sea.
Pagers sounded at 7.15pm, requesting the launch of the all-weather lifeboat
Christopher Pearce.
The crew headed quickly to the Holyhead port, where the lifeboat is currently berthed, and set off to the location, which was cited by the UK Coastguard as approximately three miles north of The Skerries lighthouse. The 33ft yacht, with two people on board, was en route from the Isle of Man to Pwllheli and was suffering mechanical problems, meaning she had become unable to navigate safely out of the busy shipping lanes.
As the owner of the craft knew he was in difficulty, and in an area earmarked for larger shipping vessels, he had reported in to the coastguard and requested assistance.
The Severn-class lifeboat quickly located the stricken vessel, and a tow was established. The vessel was then safely towed back to the casualty vessel’s mooring within Holyhead harbour.
The lifeboat was back at her berth by 10.30pm, and the crew then made her ready for any further service.
Holyhead coxswain Tony Price said the craft was in good condition, and the two sailors were correctly equipped with lifejackets and means of calling for help, and they had done the right thing in contacting the coastguard, given their location.
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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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