Yacht that lost its rudder, then its anchor, is towed to safety
Five people stranded on a rudderless 38-foot yacht in the Solent were taken to safety by Cowes RNLI lifeboat at lunch-time today.
After losing their rudder just outside the Cowes Harbour breakwater they had dropped their anchor; while this prevented the yacht suffering any further mishap in the windy conditions, the anchor proved difficult to retrieve once the lifeboat arrived on the scene.
As a result, the anchor line had to be cut loose and attached to a marker buoy for a later retrieval attempt.
The lifeboat then carried out an alongside tow of the yacht to East Cowes Marina.
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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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.