Four RNLI lifeboats launch in fog to broken down craft

The two men on board the cruiser called UK Coastguard just before 10pm on Monday 24 June 2019 to say the had engine problems and were drifting in thick fog. Without proper navigation equipment, they were only able to report that they could see ‘a small village with a pier’ through the fog, from which UK Coastguard deduced that the craft was somewhere in the vicinity of Saltburn or Skinningrove.

The RNLI lifeboats from Redcar and Staithes were launched just after 10pm to search for the cruiser. At 10.15pm the Redcar lifeboat found the craft in breaking surf near Saltburn pier.

Dave Cocks, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Redcar RNLI said: ‘The cruiser had sufficient engine power to get out of the surf, guided by the lifeboat. Once it was clear we put a crew member on board.

‘The craft was around 14 metres long and it was struggling to make headway because of the engine problems, so our crew decided to rig a tow to get to Hartlepool.’

The RNLI all-weather and inshore lifeboats were launched from Hartlepool to take over the tow and at 12.45am the cruiser was met by UK Coastguard teams in Hartlepool marina.

Dave Cocks said: ‘Unfortunately the crew of the leisure cruiser were not adequately equipped or experience for the conditions they found themselves in. The only had a mobile telephone to raise the alarm with, which meant our lifeboat crews were unable to use radio direction-finding equipment to locate them.

‘It seems their navigation skills were only basic which meant that, in the poor visibility we had last night, they ended up in a perilous position in the surf at Saltburn, very close to the pier.

‘I would encourage anyone who plans to go to sea on a boat to seek advice on what equipment and training they should have to enjoy their time at sea while staying safe. There’s a lot of excellent information on the RNLI website at rnli.org.'

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Attached is a library image of the Redcar lifeboat. Credit RNLI/Dave Cocks

Redcar lifeboat station has been operating since 1802

Redcar currently operates a B-class lifeboat named Leicester Challenge III, paid for by the people of Leicester, and an IB1-class lifeboat named Eileen May Loach-Thomas, paid from the legacy of the late Mr Nick Thomas of Shropshire

For more news, information and images go to www.redcarlifeboat.org.uk. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/redcarrnli and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RedcarRNLI

Any images used should be credited RNLI/Redcar unless indicated

RNLI media contacts:

For more information please contact Dave Cocks, RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager on 07894 558 483. Alternatively, contact Clare Hopps, RNLI Press Officer, North 07824 518641 or at [email protected], or contact RNLI Public Relations on 01202 336789; [email protected]

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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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