Barrow RNLI Lifeboat Launched to Stricken Yacht
Volunteer crew from the RNLI’s Barrow Lifeboat Station launched their all-weather lifeboat this morning to go to the assistance of a yacht south of Walney Island.
The call for assistance came through from the regional HM Coastguard base in Holyhead at 8-15am. The Coastguard had been contacted by the crew of the yacht who informed them that they had lost their propeller whilst on passage heading north from Preston and had no alternative means of powering their vessel.
The crew was paged and the Barrow all-weather lifeboat, ‘Grace Dixon’, was launched at 8-40am under the command of Coxswain, Shaun Charnley, assisted by a crew of five.
The lifeboat made its way to the scene, which was close to Lightning Knoll, south of Walney Lighthouse. It was soon alongside the casualty vessel, a 33-foot (10 metre) yacht with a crew of two on board. A tow line was connected, and the yacht was brought back to Roa Island and secured to a mooring adjacent to the lifeboat station and clear of the navigation channel.
With the casualty vessel safe, the lifeboat returned to the Boathouse at 10-30am where it was rehoused by the waiting slip crew and made ready for the next launch.
The weather at the time of the incident was fine and the wind was north-westerly, Force 1-2. High water had passed at 4-15am with a height of 8.5 metres.
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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