Fowey lifeboat launched to yacht taking on water

Information from the Coastguard was minimal due to electrical issues on the boat and systems not working. They ascertained that there was a person on a 27’ sailing yacht, the location established from the boats’ cell phone as being 1.5 miles SW west of the Gribbin, close to a ship at anchor. At 02:00 Fowey’s volunteer crew located the yacht and put two crew in dry suits on board to assess the damage.

The salvage pump was transferred to the yacht and the lifeboat crew managed to stabilise the situation.

It was decided that the safest solution was to tow the vessel into Fowey leaving the lifeboat crew and pump on board. Permission was granted from Fowey Harbour Master for the boat to enter port. The Coastguard team met the boat and took the casualty off to get warm and to be checked over. The crew kept the vessel safe, while the Launch Authority arranged for the boat to be lifted out by Tom’s yard. The boat was lifted by 05:24. This was a complicated shout, but a great team response from crew, the Coastguard, Tom’s and Fowey Harbour Commissioners.