Barrow Lifeboat tasked to assist drifting yacht

The call for assistance came from the regional HM Coastguard base in Holyhead at 10-30am. The information received was that an 18-foot (5.5-metre) fishing vessel had been observed from the shore and was seen to be drifting in Walney Channel, north of Jubilee Bridge.

The crew was paged and the inshore lifeboat, ‘Vision of Tamworth’, was launched at 10-45am with Ben Jackson at the helm assisted by Adam Cleasby and Paul Wilcock. In calm conditions, the lifeboat was quickly on the scene having been directed by the Furness Coastguard unit to the location of the yacht. The stricken vessel, which was unmanned, was taken under tow and a short time later was secured to a mooring close to the Ferry pitching.

The lifeboat returned to the boathouse at midday where it was washed down and prepared for the next launch.

The weather at the time of the incident was fine with good visibility. The wind was westerly, Force 2 - 3, and high water was at 11.29am with a predicted height of 8.8 metres.

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