Barrow lifeboat called to yacht in Walney Channel

The tasking request was received from HM Coastguard in Holyhead at 3.07pm. The information received was that a 6-metre (20-foot) yacht understood to be on passage from Roa Island to Fleetwood was struggling in the south westerly wind whilst attempting to transit the Walney Channel. It soon became apparent that this was the same yacht which had been helped by the lifeboat less than 48 hours earlier.

The crew was paged and the inshore lifeboat, Raymond and Dorothy Billingham, was launched at 3.25pm with Ben Jackson at the helm along with crew Michael Armstrong and Luke Wilkinson.

The lifeboat was soon alongside the casualty and the crew followed the standard procedure in carrying out an assessment of the circumstances and, given the conditions and other factors, determined that the safest course of action was to take the yacht under tow. A line was attached and the yacht was towed back to Piel Bight where it was secured to a safe mooring. The yachtsman aboard the casualty vessel was brought back to the lifeboat station and met by the team from Furness Coastguard who gave him appropriate safety advice.

With the lifeboat re-housed by the waiting shore crew it was then made ready for the next launch.

Barrow Lifeboat Press Officer, Chris Clouter, said “The RNLI’s mission is to save lives at sea and our volunteer crews will always respond to incidents when requested to do so. It is vitally important that those using the sea for whatever purpose, do so within their capabilities and take account of the prevailing tide and weather conditions before venturing out on the water”.

The weather at the time of the incident was good and the wind was south westerly, Force 4-5. The next high tide was due at 3.54pm with a predicted height of 8.4m.

RNLI Media Contacts

For further information, please contact:

Chris Clouter, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for Barrow RNLI, [email protected]

Claire Fitzpatrick-Smith, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Wales, West of England and Isle of Man, 07977 728 315, [email protected]

Danielle Rush, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for Wales, West of England and Isle of Man, 07786 668829, [email protected]

RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [email protected]

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