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Fleetwood RNLI launches to recover yacht

Lifeboats News Release

Both of Fleetwood RNLI’s lifeboats were launched on Monday 7 August to assist a yacht in distress.

The Shannon class RNLB Kenneth James Pierpoint pulling a twin-masted, green-hulled yacht on a tow line. In the foreground we see a section of Fleetwood beach where two people are watching the boats come in.

RNLI/Tony Pook

Fleetwood's RNLI lifeboat returning home with the casualty vessel

The owner of the yacht reported a mechanical failure west of King Scar. The charity’s all-weather lifeboat, Kenneth James Pierpoint was launched from Fleetwood at 5:20pm to provide assistance, the inshore lifeboat Harbet launched shortly afterwards to assist due to the potential dangers involved in the casualty’s location. After making initial contact with the casualty vessel the Coxswain was able to stand down Harbet down and she returned to the Lifeboat station.

The yacht had deployed its anchor and supplemental chain to help hold position, having noted the state of tide and currents when calling for help. This allowed Kenneth James Pierpoint to place one crewmember aboard to secure a tow line. After an assessment of the situation, it was decided the safest course of action was to tow the yacht back to port, to be moored at the Lifeboat station’s buoy. The casualty was brought ashore to be assessed and was then able to go home.

Captain David Eccles, Lifeboat Operations Manager for Fleetwood said:

'Mechanical failure is a fact of life if you spend enough time at sea, and the yachtsman's calm, sensible assessment of the situation enabled him to stabilise his own position in a timely fashion. That in turn ensured that our volunteer crew were able to assist him quickly and safely, bringing him and his vessel back to Fleetwood.'

Notes to editors

  • Fleetwood’s RNLI All-Weather Lifeboat is named KENNETH JAMES PIERPOINT and is a Shannon class boat.

  • Fleetwood’s RNLI Inshore Lifeboat is named HARBET and is a D-Class boat.

  • Photo credit: RNLI/ Tony Pook

  • The RNLI is supported entirely through voluntary donations, and Fleetwood lifeboat station has been operating since 1859. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: http://fleetwoodlifeboat.org.uk/


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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For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

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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