Exmouth and Weymouth RNLI assist 50ft disabled motor vessel
At 5.28pm yesterday, in challenging conditions, Exmouth RNLI all-weather lifeboat R & J Welburn launched to assist Weymouth RNLI who had been paged by HM Coastguard at 2.34pm to assist a 50ft motor vessel that had experienced total engine failure off Bridport.
Arriving alongside in their all-weather lifeboat Ernest & Mabel, Weymouth RNLI Coxswain decided that for the safety of the boats occupants the best course of action would be take it under tow and return it to its home port of Exmouth.
After their Weymouth colleagues had towed the vessel for a number of hours, the volunteers at Exmouth RNLI were paged to launch their all-weather lifeboat, R&J Welburn, and assist them.
Both lifeboats rendezvoused eight miles south of Sidmouth, where the Exmouth RNLI volunteers took over the tow. Unfortunately, at this stage the conditions approaching Exmouth were so challenging that it would not have been possible to safely enter the River Exe channel, so the decision was made to proceed to the next safest port of Brixham.
The lifeboat made the slow passage to Brixham where the casualty vessel was safely moored up.
Liam Pessel, Exmouth RNLI Deputy Launch Authority, said:
'Our crews then returned to Exmouth, finally arriving home and heading to their beds at 1am this morning.
'It was great teamwork from all the crew, including our shore crew, and a positive result in challenging conditions.'
Notes to editors
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