RNLI Aldeburgh Atlantic 85, Ralph, first operational shout

Monday 24 March 2025

In the early hours of Monday 24 March, volunteers from Aldeburgh Lifeboat Station were paged to a yacht nine miles south east of Aldeburgh.

The yacht contacted the Coastguard with a mayday call around 3am to say their boat had lost all power.

As the yacht was closest to Aldeburgh RNLI station, they were tasked with the rescue operation at 3.14am, launching at 3.40am. Visibility was limited, with rough seas.

Aldeburgh's Atlantic 85, Ralph, made contact with the boat at 4.30am, which was now just outside Harwich after drifting for a while,.

The boat had lost all means of power, was drifting towards a shipping lane and therefore needed to be towed to safety.

Harwich was the nearest safe harbour, so Aldeburgh lifeboat established a tow for buoyancy, transferred a member of lifeboat crew to the stricken yacht to assist their crew, and Harwich RNLI was paged.

RNLI Harwich's all-weather lifeboat, Albert Brown, took over the operation. The Aldeburgh volunteer crew were stood down around 7am, and returned to station to maintain a lifesaving service in the Aldeburgh area.

The Atlantic 85, Ralph, was washed down, refuelled and back on service by 8.45am.

It was a double 'first shout' for Aldeburgh RNLI: both the Atlantic 85 lifeboat, delivered in February, and their youngest crew member Max, who joined RNLI Aldeburgh in August 2024 on his 18th birthday having their first operational service.

Notes to Editors

Aldeburgh lifeboat station has been operating since 1826 and has been part of the RNLI since 1852. Since formation, their lifeboats have launched 1,267 times and saved 693 lives.

Aldeburgh lifeboat station has two boats on service: B-class Atlantic 85, Ralph, and D class inshore lifeboat, Susan Scott.

RNLI Media contacts

For more information, please contact Jo Litt, RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer: [email protected] or contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789 or at [email protected]

Launching Aldeburgh Atlantic 85, Ralph, on operational shout, Monday 24 March 2025

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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RNLI Aldeburgh Atlantic 85, Ralph, first operational shout

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