
Both Harwich lifeboats launched to assist a yacht in trouble
At 10.40am, on the first day of the Spring Bank Holiday, the pagers of the volunteers who staff the RNLI Harwich lifeboat station launched in response to a need for assistance from the Dover Coastguard.
On Saturday 27 May, the crew of a vessel called the Coastguard to report that another vessel had lost its mast and needed assistance. The caller had informed the station that the other vessel in need of assistance was roughly 15 miles south of Clacton on Sea in an area known as the Black Deep.
The Duke of Kent all-weather lifeboat (ALB) for Harwich launched at 11.00am and made its way to the damaged vessel, which was carrying three people arriving on scene at 12.30pm.
After arriving on scene and assessing the situation it was decided that the safest course of action was for the Harwich inshore lifeboat (ILB) Tierney, Harvey and Sonny Reid to launch to help in the retrieval of the sail and mast, and the yacht was taken in tow, with the ALB taking the yacht to the River Crouch, where the yacht was able to proceed under its own power to Burnham.
After being out at sea for six and a half hours, both of the Harwich lifeboats returned to the lifeboat station so that they could be refuelled and prepared for the next emergency call.
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For more information please contact Adam Prescott, RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer: [email protected]
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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