St Bees RNLI tasked to assist yacht in distress

St Bees RNLI were on scene within 15 minutes of launching where they found the vessel in fact drifting close to shore. After making contact with the crew onboard, the yacht crew informed the lifeboat that they had lost all power and were unable to make way.

As the vessel had lost all power and with the risk of it drifting onto the rocks in the surrounding shallow water, the lifeboat helm conducted a dynamic risk assessment and concluded that in order to mitigate risk of harm to the yacht’s crew and potentially to other vessels the yacht would be taken under tow to the safety.

The yacht was then taken under tow and was brought to Whitehaven Harbour where it was then securely moored.

Dick Beddows, Lifeboat Operations Manager for St Bees RNLI Lifeboat, says:

‘We're grateful that the yacht's crew recognised that they were in danger and alerted the UK Coastguard at the earliest opportunity before the situation worsened. If you do get into difficulty when out on the water, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard’.

The lifeboat was then returned to the station to be made ready for next service.

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 142,700 lives.

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