Seahouses lifeboats assist yacht at Holy Island Anchorage

The crewman requested assistance.

The inshore lifeboat (ILB) crew were paged, and launched from Seahouses. The lifeboat proceeded to Holy Island where the lifeboat crew attempted to free the yacht's anchor. After some time and with some difficulty they were unable to free the anchor.

A rope was then also found snagged around the yacht's propeller and rudder. At this point, the ILB crew requested the assistance of the larger all-weather lifeboat, as the rope on the yacht's propeller was complicating an already difficult situation.

At 6:53pm that day, UK Coastguard contacted the Seahouses Duty Launch Authority, and the all-weather lifeboat crew were paged. The Lifeboat launched and also proceeded to Holy Island.

The anchor was freed.

The all-weather lifeboat Coxswain assessed the situation and owing the
fact that the yacht's propeller was fouled by a towline, it was decided that the safest decision was to offer, with the yachtsman's consent, to tow the yacht to the Kettle anchorage in the Inner Farne Islands, and arrange for a diver to attend the following day, to remove the rope from its propeller.

This was agreed, and the yacht was towed to the Kettle. Once done, with the casualty safely at anchor in the Kettle, both lifeboats returned to station. The Coastguard Operations Room were kept fully updated during the incident.

RNLI Media contacts
For more information please contact Ian Clayton, RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer: [email protected]