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Brighton RNLI in Saturday night launch to help stricken yacht

Lifeboats News Release

Brighton RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew were tasked to help a yacht which had a damaged mainsail and low fuel, with three people on board.

The Atlantic 85 B-class lifeboat Random Harvest launched at 8:50pm on Saturday 22 June to the 40-foot yacht Salty Dog which was in trouble near Saltdean.

In choppy conditions the lifeboat was brought close enough for crew member Radek Proutkovsky to board the yacht to tow it to safety and to help reassure those on board.

Helm Mat Humphrey said: ‘The crew did a great job ensuring the yacht was brought back safely, transferring crew to a different vessel in choppy conditions is challenging but everyone worked together well, and we had a successful outcome.

‘Radek did a great job reassuring the casualties, after there was an initial report from the beach that the yacht seemed to be in trouble.

‘If you see someone at sea who looks like they are in struggling at sea, ring 999 and ask for the Coastguard.’

Tiago De Souza, who was aboard the Salty Dog with friends Adrienn and Michael, said: ‘A big shout to the crew who put their life on the line to rescue us that day. I had no idea to the extent of RNLI’s job, to keep us safe out there when we’re in trouble.

‘They noticed our boat wasn’t making progress against tide and wind, they came around us to assure us, and keep us warm, and ended giving us a tug when our boats engine gave out.

‘We couldn’t be more grateful. Thank you.’


RNLI safety checklist for yacht sailing and motorboating:
  • Always wear an appropriate lifejacket.
  • Always carry a means of calling and signalling for help.
  • Ensure there is an emergency action plan in place and everybody has an onboard briefing (in particular on the location and use of the safety equipment, including the spare kill cord for powerboats).
  • Get the right level of training for your craft.
  • Always check the weather and tide times.
  • Make sure someone ashore knows where you are going and who to call if you don't return on time.
  • Always drive your boat at a speed that is appropriate to the weather conditions and to the environment you are operating in.

https://rnli.org/safety/choose-your-activity/yacht-sailing-and-motorboating?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKC...

For more information please contact:

[email protected] (Brighton lifeboat press officer)

Brighton lifeboat and the stricken yacht

RNLI

Brighton lifeboat and the stricken yacht

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.

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