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St Mary's RNLI rescue disabled yacht

Lifeboats News Release

The volunteer crew of St Mary's RNLI lifeboat, under the command of coxswain Dan May, were paged at 5.45pm on September 7 to assist a lone sailor whose vessel was disabled having caught a rope around his stern gear.

The yacht was just under a mile north of Shipman Head on Bryher and with little wind and an inability to sail, it meant the yachtsman was at the mercy of the tide.
On arrival at the casualty vessel, the volunteer crew assessed the situation, and decided a tow was the safest option due to the danger to navigation.

The yacht was towed into the safer waters of Old Grimsby Bay on Tresco where it could be beached and the sailor could detach the rope and check the stern gear.

The lifeboat then returned to St. Mary's and fuelled up ready for the next call for assistance.

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.

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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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