Barrow lifeboat assists with rescue of lone fisherman offshore

The request for assistance was received from HM Coastguard in Holyhead at 8.13am. The information received was that a lone fisherman in a 3-metre (10-foot) river boat had been spotted by a passing windfarm CTV (Crew Transfer Vessel) approximately 2 miles southwest of Walney Lighthouse. It was reported that the fisherman had become confused and disorientated when the fog came in and was unsure of his location. The CTV had come alongside the small boat and made the call to the Coastguard for assistance.

The crew was paged and the all-weather lifeboat, Grace Dixon, was launched at 8.50am under the command of Coxswain, Shaun Charnley, supported by a crew of six.

The lifeboat reached the scene after a 20-minute passage and following an assessment of the casualty and conditions offshore it was decided that the safest course of action was to take the fisherman on board the lifeboat and tow his vessel back to Roa Island from where he had set off earlier in the day.

Lifeboat Press Officer, Chris Clouter, commented ‘We are grateful to the crew of the CTV, Windcat 38, for contacting HM Coastguard and ensuring that the casualty was kept safe until we arrived on scene. The Barrow Lifeboat team of volunteers also pass on their congratulations to crew member, Paddy Wade, for doing a great job on his first shout today.’

With the casualty safe, the lifeboat returned to the Boathouse later in the morning where it was re-housed by the waiting shore crew and made ready for the next launch.

The weather at the time of the incident was fair and the wind was westerly, Force 1-2. However, visibility offshore was restricted by fog to approximately a quarter of a mile. The high tide had passed at 6.36am with a predicted height of 8.0m.

RNLI Media Contacts

For further information, please contact:

Chris Clouter, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI Barrow, [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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