Margate RNLI assists disabled fishing vessel
Margate’s B class RNLI inshore lifeboat 'Colonel Stock' has provided assistance to a fishing vessel with two occupants which encountered machinery problems off the north Kent coast.
UK Coastguard intercepted a Pan Pan urgency VHF radio broadcast from the 10m commercial fishing vessel around 7.30pm last night (Tuesday 15 October) reporting they were experiencing machinery problems and required assistance.
The vessel, with two persons on board was around a mile off Foreness Point and drifting towards Margate.
Visual contact was established by members of Margate Coastguard Rescue Team who were training at their base at Palm Bay.
Margate’s B class RNLI lifeboat was tasked to investigate and soon arrived on scene establishing contact with the casualty vessel whereby a member of the lifeboat’s volunteer crew was put aboard to assess the situation.
It was established that the mechanical problem could not be resolved and after considering other options including there being no other vessel in the vicinity able to assist further it was agreed that taking the fishing vessel under tow to a port of refuge was the best solution to resolving the problem.
After connecting a tow line the lifeboat took the vessel under tow for the two hour passage to Ramsgate where it was moored safely alongside and met by member of the coastguard team. The crew of the fishing vessel were unharmed after their experience and the lifeboat returned to station arriving just before midnight.
Christian Wright, Launching Authority, Margate RNLI said: “The vessel’s crew followed the correct procedure in seeking assistance from the coastguard via a Pan Pan urgency broadcast.
“It was also something of a special occasion for ourselves with the first call for the B class lifeboat’s brand new ‘Bendy’ launching tractor, all involved reporting it performed well.”
Notes to editors
· Margate lifeboat station has been operating since 1860. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/margate-lifeboat-station
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