Donate now

Yacht raises alarm after going aground on the notorious Shingles Bank

Lifeboats News Release

At 3.03pm on Wednesday 5 June Lymington Lifeboat was alerted by HM Coastguard to reports of a 34 foot yacht with two persons on board, aground on the Shingles Bank.

Yacht aground on Shingles Bank in large seaway

RNLI/Joanna Styles

Yacht aground on Shingles Bank in large seaway

The yacht was transiting from Portsmouth to Poole when they went aground and raised the alarm.

The lifeboat was quickly on scene and one of the crew boarded the yacht to check for damage and ensure the casualties were fit and well.

Lifeboat helm Phil Baker described the situation: ‘The yacht was hard aground and getting knocked about in a strengthening westerly breeze and growing seaway. Due to the worsening conditions and risk of further damage to the yacht, we agreed it was safer to transfer the crew onto the lifeboat, take them back to Lymington and wait for the tide to start rising before returning to the yacht to recover it, removing any hazard to navigation.’

Sometime after dropping the crew ashore, Lymington Lifeboat Station received a call from Yarmouth Lifeboat Station to relay reports that the yacht was possibly starting to re-float. With known damage to the rudder, and the worsening sea state, it was agreed that both Lymington and Yarmouth lifeboats would both attend the vessel. Lymington’s Inshore Lifeboat being better suited to the shallow water over the Shingles Bank and Yarmouth’s larger, more powerful all-weather Lifeboat more suited to towing vessels to safe haven.

Once back at the yacht, a member of the lifeboat crew was put onboard to clear any fouling lines from the water, raise the anchor and prepare lines to establish a tow. As the yacht re-floated on the rising tide, Yarmouth Lifeboat came alongside, took the vessel under tow and safely delivered her to Lymington, and her waiting owners.

‘We are always pleased to work alongside our colleagues from Yarmouth and this was another great example of the teamwork required to bring another incident to a safe outcome.’ concluded Lifeboat Operations Manager Alistair Mackay.

Crew: Phil Baker (Helm), James Douch, Simon Nuding, Ollie Janson.

RNLI Contact details:

Jo Styles, Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer, Lymington Lifeboat Station (07725) 640871 Jo_Styles@rnli.org.uk

Hatti Mellor, Regional Communications Manager - SE & London (07724) 801305 hatti_mellor@rnli.org.uk

For enquiries outside normal business hours contact the RNLI duty press officer on (01202) 336789

RNLI online: For more information on the RNLI please visit http://www.rnli.org/. News releases and other media resources, including RSS feeds, downloadable photos and video, are available at the RNLI News Centre.

Lymington Lifeboat speeding towards casualty vessel

RNLI/Joanna Styles

Lymington Lifeboat speeding towards casualty vessel
Yarmouth Lifeboat towing yacht back to safety

RNLI/Joanna Styles

Yarmouth Lifeboat towing yacht back to safety

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.

Categories