Barrow RNLI called to assist Catamaran
Volunteer crew from the RNLI’s Barrow Lifeboat Station launched their inshore lifeboat this evening to go to the aid of a catamaran which had lost power off Walney Island.
The call for assistance came through from the regional HM Coastguard base in Holyhead at 6-24pm. The information received was that a catamaran located approximately two-and-a-half miles south, south west of Walney Lighthouse had lost engine power and was unable to make progress under sail due to the calm conditions. The casualty vessel, with two people on board, was already under tow by the windfarm crew transfer vessel, ‘Njord Lapwing’, which was returning to the Port of Barrow.
The crew was paged and the inshore lifeboat, ‘Vision of Tamworth’, was launched at 6-30pm with Shaun Charnley at the helm assisted by Saul Tomlin, Adam Cleasby and Mike Harris. The lifeboat was tasked with taking over the tow from the ‘Njord Lapwing’ in Walney Channel and then assisting the casualty vessel on to a mooring.
With the task completed successfully, the lifeboat returned to the boathouse at 7-15pm where it was made ready for the next launch.
The weather at the time of the incident was fine with good visibility. The wind was west-north westerly, Force 2, and high water had occurred at 1-13pm with a height of 9.1 metres.
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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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