Eastbourne Lifeboat rescues beached yacht
Both Eastbourne RNLI lifeboats were requested to launch on Saturday afternoon to assist HM Coastguard when a yacht went aground on Eastbourne seafront.
At 15.25 (30 May) the volunteer crew of Eastbourne lifeboats were scrambled to assist a 10 metre catamaran yacht with two people on board which had suffered engine failure and had drifted onto submerged rocks off the Wish tower on Eastbourne seafront. The vessel was being pounded in the surf and was in severe danger of breaking up. Two crewmen from the inshore lifeboat were put into the water to assess damage to the yacht whilst local coastguards escorted the two yachtsmen ashore. ILB helmsman Jim Edwards being satisfied that the yachts hull had not been compromised decided the best way to save the vessel was to tow it into deeper water. A towline was attached and the yacht was pulled clear of the rocks. Meanwhile the all-weather lifeboat had arrived on scene and in deeper water the tow was transferred to the larger lifeboat. The yacht was then towed to the safety of Sovereign Harbour.
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
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