Barrow Lifeboats assist stricken catamaran off Walney Island
Volunteer crew from the RNLI’s Barrow station launched both of their lifeboats this afternoon, Wednesday 27th February 2019, to assist in recovering a catamaran which had lost all power west of Walney Island.
The call for assistance came from HM Coastguard at Holyhead at 11-48am. The information received was that a 7.5 metre catamaran had lost engine power at a position within the Ormonde Offshore Wind Farm. The wind farm crew transfer vessel, ‘Windcat 41’, which was working at the wind farm had secured a line to the stricken vessel whilst awaiting the arrival of the lifeboat.
The crew was paged and the Tamar Class all-weather lifeboat, ‘Grace Dixon’, was launched at 12-17pm under the command of Coxswain, Dave Kell, assisted by six crew. The lifeboat proceeded for approximately 9 miles out to the wind farm site where it was confirmed that the catamaran had lost the propeller from its outboard motor. The lifeboat then took the vessel under tow back to Barrow. Once safely back in Walney Channel, the inshore lifeboat, ‘Vision of Tamworth’, took over the tow and returned the catamaran safely to a mooring north of Jubilee Bridge.
Both lifeboats returned to the lifeboat station at Roa Island at 2-20pm where they were then washed down and made ready for the next launch.
The wind at the time of the incident was south-westerly, Force 2, with the next high tide due at 5-42pm.
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