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Penlee RNLI's Mabel Alice is chilly in Chile

Lifeboats News Release

“Mabel Alice” is of course the Arun class lifeboat that was placed on service at 0001 on Sunday, 8 May 1983 at Penlee, following the loss of the “Solomon Browne” on 19th December 1981.

A picture of RNLI Lifeboat Mabel Alice

RNLI/Philip Monckton

Mabel Alice during training, Neil Brockman at tyhe helm
And it is interesting to see her history after leaving our moorings.

She made a surprise return to Newlyn one December night on 14th December 2004 wearing different clothes. She was now a police vessel and would serve at Strathclyde with a yellow paint job. At the time RNLI lifeboat coxswain Neil Brockman, with other lifeboatmen, came down to the harbour to renew acquaintances with their former charge, which had served them well for some 20 years.

Now, we hear of her operating in the colder waters of the South Atlantic Ocean when a week or so ago an RNLI supporter, Richard, was cruising around Cape Horn and Tierra del Fuego and then up the Chilean fiords when…

Richard writes that he had 'just arrived in Puerto Natales and were waiting for the harbour pilot to come out and take the ship to its mooring place. As we waited a boat appeared in the distance with a strangely familiar profile and very distinctive deep wake, as it got closer I thought 'that looks like an Arran class lifeboat' - lo and behold it was the Mabel Alice late of Penlee RNLI and now working as the lifeboat for the Puerto Natales region and doubling as the pilot tender as well.

'She got a big cheer from the British contingent on board when I let slip that she used to be the much loved boat from Penlee. The Germans and French passengers just looked on in bafflement and the Yanks all joined in when we explained her significance.

'She looks a little tired and could do with a good engine service but she was still capable of a good turn of speed when she left us to go back to her mooring.'

We really appreciate Richard writing to us with the details, it’s always interesting to see where our lifeboats go after serving us, and Mabel Alice served us well.

Richard took the picture in Chile.

Picture shows former lifeboat Mabel Alice

RNLI/Philip Monckton

Mabel Alice Penlee's former RNLI Lifeboat with new Police colours
Shows former lifeboat Mabel Alice in Chile

RNLI/Richard

Former RNLI Lifeboat Mabel Alice working in Chile now

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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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.

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