Wave-damaged fishing boat brought to safety by lifeboat

With more waves, whipped up by a Force 5 westerly, threatening to make the small craft seriously water-logged, Cowes RNLI lifeboat was urgently tasked by Coastguards to go to their aid.

Fortunately for the hapless fishermen the lifeboat was about to go on exercise at the time. Although the fishermen had dropped their anchor to reduce the ingress of water, their boat, off Osborne Bay, was being dragged into the main shipping channel.

The lifeboat used their VHF direction finding equipment to locate the boat. Then lifeboat crew members and the fishermen set to work bailing out the fishing boat as it was taken into shallower water.

Eventually the lifeboat carried out an alongside tow to Trinity Landing, Cowes, where the fishermen were met by Ventnor coastguards.

Although the fishing boat was based in Newport, the men were advised undertake the up-river journey in daylight, the following day.

The lifeboat had been away from station for over two hours.

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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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