
Lytham St Annes volunteer RNLI lifeboat crew bring missing yacht owner to safety
Concern shown for elderly owner reported late in returning from sailing.
A 26ft (7.9m) fin keel yacht had left Lytham at 10am on Saturday 16 November 2024 to head for a day's sail to Hesketh Bank Boatyard. By the evening with no sign of the vessel, a search from the shore was made of the berths at Lytham Dock and the Hesketh Bank boatyard - but nothing was found.
The owner was a highly experienced yachtsman but worries over their possible health vulnerabilities caused HM Coastguard to request the Lytham St Annes RNLI inshore lifeboat (ILB) MOAM to launch. The ILB was tasked to investigate the whereabouts of the yacht at 10.38pm. They also tasked a Coastguard helicopter based at Caernarfon Airport to join in the search.
With drizzle later turning to rain, a spring tide flooding in quickly and a chilly wind with the temperature falling, it was no place to be in a small yacht in the darkness of the Ribble Estuary surrounded by marshes.
The ILB was launched opposite Seafield Road with volunteer Helm, Will Bridge, in command and crew members Nigel Browning and Chris Penrice. Heading up river the ILB found the missing vessel near the 6 mile perch performing a somewhat erratic course.
Realising the urgency of the situation, Will took the ILB alongside and transferred Chris to the yacht to check the owner was OK and take over the steering to give him a rest after his solo day long sail. The helicopter was stood down to return to base and the ILB proceeded to guide the vessel down river to Lytham Dock, where the Lytham Coastguard Rescue Team were waiting to assist berthing the yacht at a pontoon.
The ILB was recovered at the Ribble Cruising Club slipway at Lytham Dock before heading back to her boathouse by road to be cleaned off, checked over and refuelled, before the crew could leave for their homes and beds shortly after 2am (Sunday 17 November).
Lifeboat Launch Authority Andy Pothecary later said: 'It was a necessary precaution to find the missing gentleman quickly given the deteriorating weather conditions and the isolated and lonely area the yacht was suspected to be transiting over the last twelve hours.'
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