
Mayday call sees Yarmouth RNLI tasked to a yacht caught on the rocks
On Friday 24 November at the request of HM Coastguard, Yarmouth RNLI were called to a 42ft sailing yacht which had run aground on the coast of Alum Bay, below the cliffs by the old gun ports.
Yarmouth RNLI volunteer crew pagers sounded at 12:42pm and made good speed to the stricken vessel and arrived on scene by 1:10pm. Yarmouth’s all-weather lifeboat 17-25 Eric and Susan Hiscock, ‘Wanderer’ helped via VHF radio communications to the casualty vessel’s crew, who were then able to free themselves off the rocky coastal shelf without the use of a towline.
Yarmouth lifeboat then awaited alongside whilst Sea Start 4 escorted the casualty vessel back towards Lymington.
Yarmouth RNLI crews then made passage back to Yarmouth Harbour where they completed their post recovery checks and were then marked as ready for service at 1:50pm.
Yarmouth Lifeboat Mechanic, Richard Pimm said:
‘Communication played a big part in the successful recovery of this vessel. We strongly recommend that when out at sea a form of communication, be that VHF radio or a mobile phone, are available and well maintained should you need to call for help.’
If you find yourself, or see someone in difficulty in the water, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
Notes to editors
- Yarmouth RNLI Lifeboat 17-25 Eric and Susan Hiscock ‘Wanderer’ came into service in 2001, prior to that Yarmouth RNLI had an Arun Class Lifeboat 52-08 Joy and John Wade which was in service for 23 years.
- You can find lots of useful safety information about yacht sailing and motorboating that the RNLI has put together by clicking the link below.
www.RNLI.org/safety/choose-your-activity/yacht-sailing-and-motorboating#summary
- In 2024, Yarmouth Lifeboat Station will be celebrating its 100th year anniversary, the same year the RNLI celebrates its 200th year anniversary. More information regarding the 200-year milestone can be found on the official RNLI website.
- VHF RADIO - Very High Frequency Radio
- Mayday is a term used to signal a life-threatening situation, whereas a Pan-Pan call is an urgent signal for help, that isn't life-threatening.
- Sea Start is a maritime breakdown service www.seastart.com
RNLI media contacts
● Hebe Gregory, Yarmouth RNLI Trainee Lifeboat Press Officer [email protected]
● Paul Dunt, Regional Media Officer (South East), 0207 6207426, 07785 296252
For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789
RNLI online
For more information, please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the RNLI News Centre.
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 over 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and, in a normal year, 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.
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.
Learn more about the RNLI
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.