Exmouth RNLI rescue fishing vessel

At 15:28 hrs today, Friday 15 January 2021, Exmouth RNLI All Weather Lifeboat, 13-03 R & J Welburn, was requested by H.M. Coastguard to a report that a fishing trawler positioned 6 miles due south of Sidmouth was taking on water.

The lifeboat, crewed by Coxswain, Steve Hockings-Thompson and volunteer RNLI crew, Harry Griffin, Andy Stott, James Edge, Roger Moore and Roy Stott, launched at 15:48hrs and made it’s way to the incident, arriving on scene at 16:03 hrs.

At this time the vessel had temporarily resolved the problem and was escorted by the RNLI crew safely back to harbour at Brixham at 17:23hrs. Once the safety of the crew and the vessel was established, the all weather lifeboat made its way back to Exmouth at 17:48hrs.

Coxswain, Steve Hockings-Thompson, said, “The crew on the trawler made the correct decision in requesting assistance as soon as they discovered the problem. We were on scene with the casualty vessel very quickly and myself and my volunteer crew were pleased to assist the boat safely back to port.”

The lifeboat was back on station ready for service at 18:16 hrs today.

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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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