Brighton RNLI called to yacht fire with baby on board
Brighton RNLI was called to assist a developing incident off the coast of Brighton on Monday afternoon.
The volunteer crew was paged by the Coastguard at 2.30pm to launch and assist a yacht that had suffered an engine fire.
There were three people on board the French-registered yacht – including a baby.
The sailing vessel had suffered an engine fire and had no power. The crew had managed to put the fire out before the Random Harvest arrived.
The yacht, which was 3.5miles southwest of Brighton Marina, was towed back, where East Sussex Fire and Rescue were waiting to ensure all was safe.
Conditions were good, with calm seas, light winds, and good visibility.
Lifeboat Operations Manager Roger Cohen said: “Fortunately the yacht’s owner was able to extinguish the fire with onboard extinguishers. East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service attended to confirm the fire was out.
“Please ensure you have a suitable fire extinguisher on board that has been regularly serviced and a means of calling for assistance.
“Fires onboard can escalate rapidly and you should plan for an evacuation.”
The shout was the second of the weekend for the volunteer crew in Brighton, who have so far launched 22 times in 2022.
If you find yourself in an emergency situation or spot someone else in trouble, you should call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.
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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